Mary Angela Douglas Poems

(for Sharon F. Douglas)

she would hold her pinafore up to the moon
as if to gather moon flowers. then a flood
...

I dreamed a dark green pilgrimage
unfolding on newsreels lit by a midnight
sun or catholic candles blooming
...

blue-quiet on the tear streaked waters, shipshod sun!
I cried to the nursery paintings one by one
and weaver's weave invisibly the empty embroidery looms
...

[to my sister, Sharon F. Douglas]

when we set sail how lilting were the notes
of dream birds on the rim of Time
...

[to [Jesus] Christ, the Lord]

your jeweled fireflies, stars, your radiant inconsistencies
your flecks of gold on an inky sea
...

teachers tell me I have used this word too much
as if it could wear out
but there's no other word in English
...

it is maytime in the picture book:
hence, the pink ribbons, pale, the
blue, mint green
...

you in your gipsy skirts
your white jade smile
will pause for awhile-
...

[to Hallmark and American Greetings greeting cards with love, not forgetting the penny valentines on thicker cardboard with one for the Teacher)

and to my mother who always sent me the best cards, hands down.
...

[inspired by the film 'A Portrait of Jennie']

eleanor in the park
loves the snow-shine
...