Rose Reverie Of The International Geophysical Year

"Grand go the Years,

in the Crescent above them-

Worlds scoop their Arcs-

And Firmaments - row-

Diadems - drop-

And Doges - surrender-

Soundless as Dots,

On a Disc of Snow."

-Emily Dickinson, Safe in Their Alabaster Chamber (last stanza)

transmitting sound where there are no waves

or music when it snows inside the mind

we measure nothing

silver discs on solid ground

and no receptors found

and the clashing of invisible cymbals

where flight should be instead;

no vie en rose.

but it's someone's immemorial year again-

it's someone's expedition-

do you know who sent you-

is it arctic you survive-

is it the far north of everything-

without - the Northern Star

is it the silence that won't be sifted-

borealis? - cadence of

colours that never arrive

however long you may stand watch-

and the order is given-

you may stand watch-

over the clouds inside the mind

that create these white out conditions

and write your

long last letter-

like the filmy - skies

and write your

long last letter-

that can never- arrive-

to startle the gulls and the

vagrant seasides out of sight-

and out of time-

with this rose reverie-

with these - ghost brides-

with the syllables

God gave to you,

one - at a frosted - time-

mary angela douglas 1 march 2014