It's Pink Lemonade And Hardly A Surprise

it's pink lemonade and hardly a surprise:

the cake freshly frosted on the side board,

swirled and curlicued

just like the ribbons trailing on blue paper:

glossy, rosebudded one day in February

after school

for the birthday waiting there for you

as soon as you put your satchel down,

and your lunch-box in the kitchen

and someone's painting marigold

who cannot own the colour that

I knew and someone's singing

marigolds, marigolds who wanted just

solid gold for them but I'm the owner of

the pink crepe parties Grandmother said so

and rosiness has crowned the scene

just as it should, again and again

and I won't let go oh marigold, marigold

popping up in the side yard the only

ones in the world  

as far as I'm concerned and

that is very far...

mary angela douglas 6 october 2013