Who before Giotto thought
to remove the king’s crown—
this first from the earth’s
kingdoms come to worship.
Giotto paints Him shrouded,
the swaddled solemn babe,
dressed for His burial—
getting right to the point.
And they were the best kings
could offer, these tokens
for the One who came
forgiving everything.
The mother reclines on
her side; hovering foster
father accepts the trio;
Angels watch: ox, ass, us.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
In Praise of Translation
This essay was delivered as the 38th Annual Erasmus Lecture. The circumstances of my life have been…
Caravaggio and Us
Nicolas Poussin, the greatest French artist of the seventeenth century, once said that Caravaggio had come into…
Canticle of All Creatures
This poem was written by St. Francis of Assisi, and translated by Dana Gioia. Most high, all…
