Saint James

This apostle appeared

once before the Spanish

king and lead their army

into Moorish slaughter.

Or so Raoul would have

us believe. His shadow

falls in the cool of this

dark, stone church;

on the immense gold altar

piece that has at its heart

the horse-backed apostle;

an echo of lost violence.

These churches are all

along the way. Simple,

robust buildings that hide

these tremendous structures.

Christ in creativity;

materials serving

the metaphor. All

in interpretation.

Another transubstantiation:

the bread and wine

into body and blood;

the saints into generals:

flowers now mask the blood

at his feet that open like

mouths to hymn simple

praise and prayer in peace.