Rain Affects Incident Light (Final Version) Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

in light that streams paradisical
through trees rustling in old movies, films-
there must be so many

soughing angels
or why does the light caught forever
in these branches-

even in black and white-
reel in my heart
with holy shadows cast
in strange familiar distances
I seem to recollect

cinema. cinematique
quarto shadowed suddenly
to me it seems your
dreams are woven in dreams are

woven but the golden loop
slips from your hands and
childhood hoops spin backwards into night.

say you're sorry to the brothers Lumiere
if not to God my pearly fountainhead.
it's Yours.

but the guardians of these images sleep.
the moon drops from a murky frame.
expatriate angels
sought no more
under a sky demoted from Heaven
sit in the pouring rain and cry-

mary angela douglas 17 june 2010; 2 october 2023