Mary Angela Douglas Poems

to Edgar Allen Poe

amaryllis ah the lily light
when will the spent wing flame
...

I hemmed the handkerchief of the moon
and pure moon glow was in every stitch
and smooth as a lozenge of gold or a loggia
on moon bright waters floating,
...

neither earth nor sky, here comes the thief of wishes
to filch the light from children's eyes from the very sun
that shone on you, Persephone in your dress of wild iris,
...

I saw the lights go down on vivid lines written for heart's ease
and not to please the kings, the courts I saw the curtain close
and my soul on oblivious waters: ships without sails, clouds
...

to William Blake, to Walter De La Mare...
and to my mother

'the hidden emerald of a far off day...'
...

the lacework of the day remains
the curtains shine
the apples on the table of
...

in the closet with His peach sunsets
I hid my words.
they were young:
...

on a vision of Jean Cocteau, perhaps

everything wanted something different:
who can say how much the wind
...

let me exchange
as if it could be that way
three more wounds later on
for the silver crumbs scattered
...

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding—
...