Arches

Blind arches, rising tiers that do not see,
Tiers of a rising, sloping wedding cake run to ruin,
Marriage of church and state that would not last,
Each layer succeeding thinly to the next.
Sugared links on each declining perspective,
Bells to the perpendicular, sway in the wind,
Chime to the unwary, false signals
Comfort those who grieve for the lights in autumn,
Summer of hope that will come again,
Born again with more hope than these,
Arches supporting the leaning
Top layer, raising its squint head to the sky.