Bailing Out Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

perhaps in our souls sometimes we are bailing out all day

from strange aircraft

with tiny milkweed parachutes

for a soft landing in some blue grass perfumed dream meadow

we used to understand.

the soul has its own life and is capable of this.

and sometimes, it is necessary

to be in other realms

when the shattering news comes.

the telephone call you didn't expect.

a door slammed recklessly.

then the soul retreats with lilies in its hands

and quotes Shakespeare

or the 23rd Psalm

and finds the green rivers where the sheep are banked

and soft as clouds in their woolly slumber.

down deep there lives the dearest freshness Hopkins sang.

therefore in our wilderness we will find the pear cactus

and drink deep

removing the spines.

watching the clouds turn from azure

to magenta.

mary angela douglas 18 may 2020