Losing The Blue Madonna To The Skies (Final Version) Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

[to my mother, (Mary Adalyn Young-Douglas)

losing the blue Madonna to the skies
the painters grieved in secret
and the children sighed-
losing the blue Madonna.

losing the gold Madonna to the sun
a white iris stillness filled the mind
and all my madrigals were blind.
my madrigals were blind,

and moonlight fell on adamantine pillows only
stuffed with the may have been beautifuls
beatific, in a receding light.

night.
night has wept the last of her small stars.

and I have lost the rose Madonna
queen of all gardens cried the child
cried the child with all her might and,

wildly, whole angel choirs up all night
could not comfort her
though it snowed flowers

mary angela douglas 21 september 2013; rev.22 september 2013; 12 october 2023