Next Time Don't Put The Strawberry Tarts There (Final Version) Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

the strawberry tarts cooling on the window sill invite disaster
in the picture book where the Queen is humming
Cook has the day off someone is strumming in the courtyard garden
watch out I say but nobody listens to me in the picture book day
turn the page, next illustration for sure you can do your arithmetic
pure and simple
here: subtracting the stolen tarts from the rest leaves
because the thief had a dollop of conscience, one
I go back to the previous page how lovely they were
heart shaped and overfilled with jam, sigh.
just do your best my Grandmother says; we'll bake some more
angels can do no better.

mary angela douglas 2 january 2022; 27 march 2023