Observers saw the white smoke climb
And curl around the chimney stack
St. Peters, floodlit, was on track.
The conclave in the Sistine chapel
Had very quickly come to grapple
With the situation brought about
By Benedict who’d wanted out.
The Cardinals soon made their choice
Five ballots later a new voice
Was chosen, but we had to wait
More than an hour and contemplate
St. Peter’s Square where people came
And stood together in the rain
Curious, bemused, aware
That history would be made right there.
The commentators, brought up short
Waited - with no news to report
They speculated, filmed the crowd
And voiced all their opinions loud.
Who would he be – this brand new Pope?
And would he have the skills to cope
With a Catholic Church ripe for reform
And guide the Faithful through the storm?
The curtains part, the Pope walks out
Dressed all in white, he looks devout
“Buona sera!” floats above the din
He asks the crowd to pray for him.
Who is he? This is unexpected
Who have the cardinals elected?
Italian background, that is fine
But he is in fact an Argentine!
At 76, no longer young
His Rome career has now begun
And with it comes a name brand new
Francis - evocative and true!
(c) Poet in the woods 2013
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