The Heart Folded Down Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

once we had roots of gold, dreams of gold, light,
peach light, the light of long ago stars
the clouds in magenta, the sudden flare of meteors,
autumns, the berries in cream
the heart folded under the dovelike quilts of childhood.
once we had windows into the panoramic Easter eggs
one rose guarded by one swan and Grandmother played the
record of Peter and the Wolf as a lullaby to somehow let us know
that golden days are few and must be guarded
that the oboe warns
and the wolves are gathering.
I know that she was right in her rose taffeta dress playing Liebestraum
loves dream as if she were dreaming it up right there at her piano for my Grandfather listening in the living room
I wonder did this happen, were we really there
what golden age can compare with the least moment the moon sailed slowly
over our brick house. or Telstar, or when the pine trees rained down their pine cones
or gum trees the sweet gum balls
so that we might spray them gold and silver to adorn the Christmas tree
I am woven on the loom of the past not quite Alice through the looking glass
I wander in the world of trains that cannot leave the station
I know that memory is real and fairy tales.
it is the news that is made up now.
mary angela douglas 3 may 2021