The Disappointments of Rouen Cathedral

"I suppose few people stand before the west front of Rouen Cathedral without some feeling of disappointment . . . The stone here looks dirty and dusty--so dusty that the over-fine tracery of the gable of the central porch is suggestive of some great cobweb." -Joseph Pennel, 1887

 We pulled into Rouen around noon, 

And ate lunch consisting of gas-station bread, cold salami, and individual yogurts with fruit at the bottom.

(Extra yogurt for me! The kids don't like fruit chunks)  

 Gypsies stood outside the western doors, 

Playing the accordion and soliciting contributions as we entered. 

 The cathedral is a crumbly pile of gothic wonderment, 

Like a great coral reef set down in the center of a medieval town, 

With Apostles, 

 Ancient Prophets, 

Tourists, and Martyrs,

Wandering in and out of its ornate alcoves.

Sadly, the Cathedral was bombed in April 1944, and two rose windows destroyed.

That's kind of disappointing.

Joan of Arc probably felt disappointed, 

 As she burned at the stake in view of the cathedral's west front;  

But I can't say that we felt that way. 

* Joseph Pennel, Highways and Byways of Normandy: Macmillan, 1900. 

Pointe Du Hoc

We left the Normandy American Cemetery and drove down the coast with no particular destination,

So we followed signs with an American flag to a place called,

Pointe du Hoc.

 During the US assalt of the Normandy coast on 6 June 1944,

A group of Army Rangers scaled a 100 ft cliff to secure a Germany artillery position 

Overlooking Omaha Beach. 

 The boys took turns shooting at each other and rolling down bomb craters,

 While the rest of us headed to the German engineered concrete bunkers dotting the cliff top. 

Our time there was peaceful, yet bitter cold,

And from the remnants all around us,

 It was easy to imagine the courage and violence of that day.