The Flight of the Firebird

Here's another clue about
what's happening on this
sometimes mysterious blog:


(This image is worth clicking on
to examine close up, for it chiefly
consists of a photograph of the rather
gorgeous gilded phoenix that appears
in low relief on the facade of the
main Brooklyn [NY] Public Library.)

From our friends at Wikipedia:

“A phoenix is a mythical bird with a tail of beautiful gold and red plumage (or purple and blue, by some sources. It has a 500 to 1,000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of cinnamon twigs that it then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again. The new phoenix is destined to live as long as its old self. The bird was also said to regenerate when hurt or wounded by a foe, thus being almost immortal and invincible — it is also said that it can heal a person with a tear from its eyes and make them temporarily immune to death. The phoenix is a symbol of fire and divinity . . . [It eventually became] a symbol of Christ representing His resurrection, immortality, and life-after-death.”

"Sunrise" by Giangiorgio Cresponi