Pink Patent Pocketbook Song On The Planet Mars Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

[to my sister and the colour, 'pink']

you with your pink patent pocketbook
would always do well
in the wilderness, woods

with the moth lights glow before you
or pirouetting on the edge of
What May Come

with a silk parasol, flame-like,
the color of the moment
you were in oh practicing up a

storm on the piano or earlier,

in the garden in organdie
with ruffles that matched
our orange juice

we barely learned to walk

poured out in a summer shade
because it seemed like we could fly
we knew we could

if we just tried,
and not because of Walt Disney.
(well not, just because of him)

I pray you are in the shade now

cold drinks at hand
stores of candy, all your own the
trunks full of pirate gold.

I'm out here weaving clover chains
on my own pretending I'm again
in the old back yard

where once we went inside
and there was pink lemonade cake

and all the wishes I can make
I think are about used up
so I'll use this last one

just like we did that summer
practicing for when the wish fairy comes
we'll wish for infinite wishes

and there'll be no end

as there's not to stars
and we'll go off and arm in arm
to live on Mars with our gemstones,

matching pink pocketbooks
our blesstheskythegrassandthetrees prayers
assorted Parker Brothers games
and Christmas, everywhere

till things get Better On Earth.

mary angela douglas 24 march 2015; 19 november 2023