Listening For The Beginning Of Snows, White Flowers, Celesta (Final Version, Reformatted Stanzas) Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

[for the poet Elinor Wylie (1885-1928) ]

listening for the beginning of snows, white flowers, celesta-
I bowed my head far down
into the very velvet of God;

putting the jeweled sword back in the cupboard, carefully-
by the last of the fairytale cheese-
the plum-starred jam.

who knows what music held
for those who appear no longer in the play;
wind the music box anyway
and don't despair,

your heart like a cloud
still does not drift
and it is a wonder
just to breathe the air
that later, snow will inhabit-

mary angela douglas 22 december 2011/6 october 2023