Come Back, Oh Banished Kingdom Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

Come back, oh banished kingdom
I said to my fern breathed soul
To the ripples in the water
To their netting of gold
I will wipe the sleep from my eyes
And build a language of sighs
And flee as the clouds have fled
All that has been said
To death
By the census takers.
All you movers and shakers
Wielding a gnat's worth of power
I will not let you snatch from me
One golden hour
Let business grind to a halt
Let the lame suddenly walk
In the gardens predestined for them
And sit at cafes of their own choosing
Munching their liverwurst sandwiches from home
With a thick slice of onion
Slathered with picnic mustard
And followed by cherry custard.
And Vernor's Ginger Ale.
mary angela douglas 12 april 2024