A BEAUTIFUL NARRATIVE STALLS

 

a beautiful narrative stalls, 

is led to a stable of gold...

or it is a sugar loaf

for children at a rustic table

who break off pieces

to dip in blue bowls of

milk.

this reminds them of clouds like silk

contained in a blue sky

and the sugar loaf is bright, 

sparkling like snow outside

or it is buttered gold as sunrise

the world without lies

dew beading on the leaves.

or all of these at the same time

in needlepoint.

it is a rose trellised hour.

the children are their Mama's best roses, 

the heirlooms; this is how she thinks.

but the teller of tales must choose

which ruse to pursue

though the children want everything for Christmas

they were made for that

to go down every last jeweled road

singing their scraps of song

to swing on the swings in moonlight

too long

so that they grew cold

with no fortune told but the Star 

so far

from Auntie Em in a crystal globe

pleading oh please return

return from a poppy bright sleep; 

it should be Spring.

but the trees break out into weeping

instead of flowers...

mary angela douglas 30 april 2019