Sitting Down On The Tracks While The Trains Stay Right On Time Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

there is no exceptional exception I heard the angels cry,
never in their own language when they said this-
mimicing the earth; or children dragged where

they don't want to go
sitting down on the tracks while the trains stayed
right on schedule. fanning themselves with their

wilting haloes.
tracking the luggage down,
the candy-cane carousel,

the martinets of sorrow.
while you sigh
when will I arrive

they look through everything
while deep inside I'm
unfolding the singular valentine

to the One unchanging heart
the christened fool
who came prepared to die

for the snowed-in exceptions;
the shimmering rule-

mary angela douglas 18 june 2014; rev.2014