They Will Want You To Tell The Story Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

they will want you to tell the story
as though it had cherries embroidered
in every corner

as if it were spun sugar
rosebud pink, nightlighted home.
and you in your scarab braclet,

your gipsy skirts for
the school assembly.
fifteen petticoats.

they will wait for the chime
of every xylophone colour
and you will oblige them.

you, with your apple blossom
tendencies. your perfect spelling.
but I remember distinctly

your throat full of crystal tears
sparkling as the children say
like diamonds; your snow bright

necklaces under Orion signifying...

we got lost
just going to the corner store
around the block

or if it's all the same to us-
and it was, the weather
turned into

rhinestones we loved as much.
selections of cordial cherries in the drug stores.
everything was gemmy then

the week before Christmas
so that we keep going back
in the Holiday time machine

only to leave again.

mary angela douglas 25 october 2015