Sometimes, admittedly,  the world can still of a sudden assume a resonance beyond

the one-dimensional, as the sun sometimes breaks through the Irish summer’s ample blanket of cloud cover.

And sometimes even in the rain there comes a moment when

the bird on the neighbouring roof  is an ancient symbol or a hieroglyph

in the book of the riddle’s meaning.

And this is poetry, when the bird preaches to you, and you respond

By preaching strictly for the birds.

Ciaran O’Donnell, A Former Franciscan visits Assisi