WHITE JADE

 [translated from assorted baby languages…]

to P.L. Travers for her chapter  "John and Barbera"

in Mary Poppins… (I did not forget) 

he said I have a pearl-handled stillness

to sell you, clocks with vanilla moons and

suns inlaid.

curious bubble-gum emerald

no, amethyst rings in just your size; 

broken glass from the gumball machine.

a Cracker Jack prize.

a few chess pieces under a valentine sky

on tracing paper; 

an eggbeater churning the colours in the clouds.

the maps where silvered ships slipped through

and no one drowned.

striped candy.

a rhymed song merrily sung. and cherrily.

peachly. plum.

the wind through wild grasses; gift-wrapped, 

the jeweled meridians…choose.

I said I'm in a painting by Currier and Ives; 

the sky's forever lemon, streaked with violet jam

when what I really want is the Impressionists-

and to live in a thatched house

arranging the lilacs forever in a pale blue vase

that doesn't tip over.

already the hour glass is breaking apart-

and I'm the one and only

sifting these pink sands-

hauling this jar of peach bright pennies home  

and shaking the glass globe

twice on Sundays

so that snowfall

swirls, still-

somewhere, in the world.

and this is for the last ones in the Park

who forgot to wave as I

rounded their corner-

too sequined-charming or bundled up

to know

that some choice diamonds

leaves and flowers go

never snagging at all

the glint of lilac  

in the snow child's snood…

where are they? did they break my heart? 

or are they wreathed forever in an enchanted wood.

there God is. He won't topple over.

soon you may want nothing but melting, too.

moire endpapers rose-threaded through-

for the white jade fairytales

you can't read yet

(whispered my Mother filtering

sunlight through the trees…) 

mary angela douglas 15,19,21,24 june 2012