Pilgrim Soul, a Portrait of Deacon McCommodore Charles

The image directly above is a picture of the portrait I did of Deacon McCommodore Charles. You can also find his words of wisdom and his stories on youTube. When you get there, just type in: cynthialosen

Inspired by William Butler Yeats’ beautiful poem, “When You are Old,” I renamed the portrait of Deacon Charles, “Pilgrim Soul” because it is the best description of this ordained Deacon and most long-standing member of Pilgrim Baptist Church. It is also one of Yeats’ lovelier and happier love poems to Maud Gonne.

When You are Old

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.