Expedition: Christian Petersen part 2

the rainbow filled eyes the treasures of youth held tight by tiny hands children flesh and stone a bond between children the happy children children as seen by a man who loved them and understood them these are the children of light but what of the children of darkness the children of sorrow this is such a child these lines were written by JC Cunningham a friend of the artists after he had seen drought the brave child hope lies starving on the mother's knees her shrunken breasts have failed when empty skies mocked back to cry for rain both day and night the cattle known for drink and parcel forks of hey I poised the ugly buzzards circle slow to drop like plummets when some beasts staggering Falls to rise no more the dried-up corn breaks from its roots and burning winds suck added heat from pastors dry as parchment from a desert to the Pueblo calls his clans an hour by hour repeats his chance and thinks by agony and dance to draw from God's displeased the blessing of the rain the pale-face knows no chance no dance he cannot think that God would change his laws for one small flakes he cannot pray for rain he can but dumbly stared while hope lies done on the mothers need natural disasters christian petersen saw them as trials to be born with courage he knew courage was moved to hold it high as the mother holds her child from the threatening waters of the flood courage in a cotton dress natural disasters are those that men create the protective gesture is as old as man himself drought flood war mirrored in the faces of children and the mothers who tried to protect them the tragedies of this world the hope of this world shining in the eyes of another child another mother the Madonna of the school the children who have come to admire her son as such is the kingdom of heaven christian petersen did many religious pieces these are some of his finest st. Bernard of Clairvaux Trappist monk advisor to Pope's and kings madonna and child a wood garden st. Francis Xavier patron saint of missions this 14-foot figure stands in the basilica at Dyersville Pope Pius the 10th subsequently canonized known as the children's pull the crucifixion a wood carving woman at prayer Christ before pilots the bound Christ the innocent Christ Christ condemned you