SHARON MORRIS

How A Half May Be Perfect

Light falls through the circle of the Pantheon
into a perfect hemisphere,
cutting through the gloom
of its vast concrete dome like an inner eye,
scrutinising each moment.

The roof, once pure gold, hovered
on the skyline like a mirage
and the heavy bronze doors opened
as doors to Elysium. Bones of martyrs
brought here from the catacombs,
and the tomb of Raphael, lie
in this temple to all the gods,

rededicated to the Virgin. Frescoes
depict the Annunciation,
her Dormition and Coronation,
the first painting of her ascent, up
into this inverted bowl
that is the picture of heaven.

A pure Roman sphere complete only
in the abstract geometry
of its architecture,
light falls through the circle of the Pantheon
into a perfect hemisphere.

Alina-Olimpia Gaci (Miron)

Sharon Morris
 

Cum o jumatate poate fi desavarsita
 

Lumina se revarsa in cercul Panteonului
formand o emisfera perfecta,
crestand intunecimea
domului sau vast din beton, asemeni unui ochi intern,
cercetand fiecare clipa.

Acoperisul, candva din aur curat, plutea
pe linia orizontului asemeni unui miraj
si usile grele din bronz se deschideau ca
portile catre Campurile Elizee. Oasele martirilor
aduse aici din catacombe,
si mormantul lui Rafael, zac
in acest templu dedicat tuturor zeilor,

inchinat din nou Fecioarei. Fresce
infatisand Buna Vestire,
Adormirea si Incoronarea ei,
prima pictura reprezentand urcarea ei,
sus, in acest glob rasturnat,
imaginea raiului.

O sfera curat romana, completa doar
prin geometria abstracta
a constructiei sale,
lumina se revarsa in cercul Panteonului
formand o emisfera perfecta.