The Wooden Church

(Church of the Transfiguration of Kizhi Island)


Hail Virgin Mary!
                Saint Joseph hail!
This church was built with nary a nail!
Without even one nail,
                but with forests of wood.
We built it that way because WE COULD!

This church is so-o-o-o-o BIG!
                This church is so-o-o-o-o
                H
                I
                G
                H!
As a matter of fact,
                it touches the sky.
One day I climbed to the top and I saw
The face of the Lord,
                and it struck me with awe...

This church is so-o-o-o-o GORGEOUS!
                This church is so-o-o-o-o COOL!
As I look at its
                A
                H                P
                S                E
                I am starting to drool.

Oh, God, it’s so-o-o NIFTY!
                So-o-o GROOVY!
                So-o-o HIP!
It reminds me of some very funky space-ship,
Or some magical bird that is ready to fly…
It is so amazing, that I want to cry.

It has so-o-o-o-o much GRACE in its onion shaped domes!
There’s  NO  nicer church!
                Not even in Rome!