LISTENING FOR THE BEGINNING OF SNOWS, WHITE FLOWERS, CELESTA (FINAL DRAFT AS TO PHRASING JUNE 7 2024)

LISTENING FOR THE BEGINNING OF SNOWS, WHITE FLOWERS, CELESTA 

[for the poet Elinor Wylie (1885-1928)]

listening for the beginning of snows, white flowers, celesta-

I bowed my head far down

into the very velvet of God;

putting the jeweled sword back in the cupboard, carefully-

by the last of the fairytale cheese-

the plum-starred jam.

who knows what music held

for those who appear no longer;

wind the music box anyway

and don't despair.

your heart like a cloud

still does not drift

and it is a wonder

just to breathe the air

that later, snow will inhabit-

mary angela douglas 22 december 2011

Weeping Coins Of Chocolate In The Snow

weeping coins of chocolate in the snow

the sugar-plum tree still shimmers

with its long-ago.

I've castled all my castled

on the checkerboard afternoon

and all the pieces are

pure crystal.

I can't begin to say how

much I've missed

the flurries of hard candies

with raspberry centers-

the lemon sun.

open the window

so the pink light

on the floor

will grow into a rose

we will not trample.

mary angela douglas 15 december 2011