I Dreamed Of Padraic Colum Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

to Padraic Colum, spinner of tales, in birdsong...

==============================================
I dreamed of Padraic Colum
that he was moving slowly as if in another dream
subset of mine small sea awash in a golden thimble
through flocks of swans, and egrets, lapwings striding
quicksilvered as moonlight imagined itself to see
and the birds
really did understand what he was saying
and even more amazing what he meant by
what he was saying not as in the world
but as in the other world
it is sometimes said to be possible
that you are flying but you have no wings
and in the dream I said
to him or thought the dream thought carefully
both hands on the piano keys
sir, can you take some poems of mine to Mr. Yeats
but he uncomprehending turned his profile toward the sky
as if he were awakening there
and turned into a bird himself
floating past the fleeting, newborn stars.
mary angela douglas 8 august 2023