What To Pack In An Emergency Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

three acorns full of sudden illumination
three dresses to match
a match

and a thousand candles
the Gospel of John
a rug to fly upon

rose seed, the King's own sealing wax
the golden stamped insignia to go with
a child in need of fairy tales

the fairy tales themselves
the Book of Kells and gingerbread
a rain cloud's wishing well, weeping

and a featherbed for sleeping
with multicoloured quilts innumerable
and one pea

the spell of human kindness.
green leaves
in case the new planet doesn't have any

a Christmas toy train that runs at all speeds
through a welcoming village
the radio from Cocteau's film

that only telegraphs poetry
silver songs, indifferent swans slightly rumpled

a cherry orchard
that cannot be felled.

mary angela douglas 25 september 2018