Poem to Antoni Gaudí

During my visit to Barcelona, I visited four of the great works of the architectural genius, Antoni Gaudí. The first was the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (the Basilica of the Holy Family), an immense work which has been under construction since 1882. Two of the four were residences - Casa Battló/La Pedrera and Casa Milà. The fourth was Parc Güell, a beautiful park high above the city.

Basilica de la Sagrada Familia

Casa Battló/La Pedrera

In Parc Güell

Looking from Parc Güell over Barcelona to the Mediterranean

Frater Vester Qui Erat in Barcelona[i]

To Antoni Gaudi

October 1, 2019, Barcelona

I. Qui cherche, Trouve[ii]

Gaudi. not gawdy,

Was colorfully plaudible[iii] -

Bounded by nature,

But unbounded within,

His complexity was simple,

His simplicity complex.

He was myopically farsighted

But saw better than all.

His Barcelona creations

Are Gaudacious[iv] innovations

That generate sensations

Of astounding incarnations

Beyond adulation.

Basilica and park

Batlló and Milà -

A wholly-made family[v]

Of complimentary creatures

Featured a new DNA

That none could foresee.

I saw nothing he missed,

But missed much that he saw.

II. Heaven Scent[vi]

Perhaps he'd confess

That his constructs for life

 Built a path to his end:

A. His daily devotion

Led him faster to God.

B. He wouldn't take transport,

But transport took him.

C. His shabbiness without,

Despite elegance within,

Left him sadly bereft

Of emergency care.

[i] The title is a take-off on the name of the prayer - Pater Noster - the Our Father. The title translates to: "Your Brother Who Was in Barcelona." Appropriately, the “cel” in "Barcelona" is the Catalan word for “heaven.”

[ii] The title of this section, "Qui Cherche, Trouve," is my French motto. It means,  "He who searches, finds." Its substantive meaning is that the person who searches for solutions finds them. That was Gaudi.

[iii] "Plaudible" is a word I made up from plaudit.

[iv] "Gaudacious" is a word I made up.

[v] “Wholly made family" is a take-off on "Sagrada Familia" - Holy Family.

[vi] This section is about factors relating to his death.