The Black Evening Gown With Its Single Rose Found Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

THE BLACK EVENING GOWN WITH ITS SINGLE ROSE FOUND

I see the black evening gown as a pure object

with the familiar delight of its off the shoulder rose

the rose being a true red, not a false one

and layers of black tulle

with their occasional sparkles sewn in

oh, are they jewels? we wonder with delight

like those sewn into the clouds when they break apart

like the light of small small stars in the evening

I think of the play by Maeterlinck

and this is the costume for night

Night in an allegory

with its exquisite red rose

we point it out in the picture

see? it's the same one

its puzzle pieces of little stars

oh purest of gowns

then, the costume of sheer poetry

nightfall and the blue dusk leaving us behind

at dreamland's dreamy edge

with the scent of violet cologne

when my mother bends down in the old novel

we made up for her

kissing us before she turns to go

leaving us with realms of Let's Pretend

to step silkenly

into a golden carriage.

the one we knew was coming for her

at the End.

mary angela douglas 19 september 2018