We Will Not Be Lured From These Bright Paths Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

we will not be lured from these bright paths
when faux rose windows begin
to gleam

warring factions will scatter their push pins
over the maps of no known counties

birds from fairytale
regions will start to sing,

all other things
in the dream being apropos

finding their
long-imperiled music unaffacted

and the princess no longer be
made to spin straw into straw

and to call it golden

mary angela douglas 3 may 2005; 27 september 2023