[to the immortal voice of Ethel Barrymore-
to all the outriders of our language]
jewel-like in the stirrups flash the outriders
saving what can be saved of a forgotten line.
fitful sleep the children near the hills
that they forgot to climb.
when will you return, if ever,
my dissolving language, trebled with tears?
forever shining on the brink-
we lost! for years.
I hear it like a whispered snow
of maytime petals recherché
but who will clink the fairy tale chime
against the painted backdrop of her
stereoscopic moons in storage?
portray: the silhouette of Juliet as once she was remembered on the stage
when brief, the nightingale was in tune
recedes into a ciphered gloom as
the audience streams from garish marquees
pleased with themselves and the postmodern age
taking aim at the sound of waters
the sound of waters
outcroppings of the stars
beauty in exile when she is far
portray: the silhouette of Juliet as once she was remembered on the stage
when brief, the nightingale was in tune
recedes into a ciphered gloom as
the audience streams from garish marquees
pleased with themselves and the postmodern age
taking aim at the sound of waters
the sound of waters
outcroppings of the stars
beauty in exile when she is far
far from the land
but, as in some Greek myth, not the promontories
where the sea walls broke through
and it's the odd story in an antique book
no one ever looks at now
but, as in some Greek myth, not the promontories
where the sea walls broke through
and it's the odd story in an antique book
no one ever looks at now
that only the sound of her voice
brought theatre goers to tears
regardless of the script
an actress floated in on
white rose perfume, in rose fraught dresses
in the jeweled stirrups outriding,,,
an actress floated in on
white rose perfume, in rose fraught dresses
in the jeweled stirrups outriding,,,
will her ghost linger?
or will we speak like machines.
the sound of her voice a fading music
where the heart was wedded to the
sacred names-
the Soul remains:
impervious in her dreaming yet - outlawed-
while the commonplace takes hold the blase
the technocratic flippant voices burned out
by the Method then by
turncoat generations of
the whatever.
trained to abhor the semintimental
the grandiose
disposed of by the Huntsman;
in favor of the unfair "Fairest..."
I hear a murmuring lapping at the cliffs
of ignominy, not dispossessed! angelic,
wearing away at the stone:
ah, the Mysteries; the voice unwearied, starry-
recitative as scented rains:
remains. Remains.
the traces remain.
synchronized to an inner flame.
mary angela douglas 24 february 2014;rev. 3 march 2014;rev. 3 november 2014;23 june 2022
I hear a murmuring lapping at the cliffs
of ignominy, not dispossessed! angelic,
wearing away at the stone:
ah, the Mysteries; the voice unwearied, starry-
recitative as scented rains:
remains. Remains.
the traces remain.
synchronized to an inner flame.
mary angela douglas 24 february 2014;rev. 3 march 2014;rev. 3 november 2014;23 june 2022
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