Gold onion domes
rise
above the snow in
Kiev
above the leafless
trees

the gold

and in dark
woods
the silver wolf
watches

and in the brush
blanketed
with snow the
rabbit chews

roots

and in the church icons
glow in candle light

and opening lilies
scent
the air and

near

the icon of
the Mother
holding the Child whose
shoe
unloosed running
from

fear

the priest whispers
to
the penitent
that
sins are seeds

f rom
which flowers
may grow

but only after
they
are buried

in Christ
our earth

whose wounds
after
the Resurrection
did
not disappear

but shone
more
than rubies
on a stole

or flowers
in snow

gold onion domes
rise
above the snow in
Kiev
under the leafless
trees

the snow

can look lemon
yellow
lavender blue and
rose