“Before Notre Dame Burned, We Went on Vacation” by Maya Phillips (Poetry ’17)
Poetry alumn Maya Phillips was recently featured in The New Yorker. Read an excerpt of “Before Notre Dame Burned, We Went on Vacation” below:
Before Notre Dame Burned, We Went on Vacation
In the grave chambers of the cathedral / we were reverent
silent // we didn’t want to awaken the saints and / besides /
though votive candles and sober sermon and
venerating faithful / I had no prayers
to offer // my god was a private shame / the space between
my parents // I couldn’t petition this heaven / despite
the invitation / am not so much a tourist that I’ll take
another man’s holy for my own / though it did
make me want to say holy /
Continue reading the poem here: “Before Notre Dame Burned, We Went on Vacation,” by Maya Phillips | The New Yorker
Maya Phillips on the web:
