Thursday, July 23, 2009

Heaven's Words Flowed Downward

heaven's words flowed downward
I saw the crumbling of an
ancien régime


this was my heart.
heaven's words flowed sideways
like the raindrops' beading on the

car windows.
I saw the green-ribboned
the tree-lined highways

pass away
and the roadside attractions
comprising a nation.

somehow-
invisible kingdoms kept
appearing

and words of fresh-wrought flame

though so many will say
shaking their heads like
Job's best friends at my
inscrutable path at the

shining holes in my shoes
"this is dark dark dark"
(you know how it is)

I saw the phoenix in every fire:
this was also my heart
this was also my heart

mary angela douglas 23 july 2009

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

First Dedication

you are the ground under my feet
if the ground trembles
you are my ravine

if the ravine crumbles

you are my sea
if the sea dissolves

you are my sky

if the sky falters
you are my star

if the star bursts

you are my Heaven.

these are the words

exactly in their places.
there are no other versions;

the poem cannot write itself:

You are

mary angela douglas 8 july 2009