surveying the village of inroads the wild swans
sweep to the silver altitudes beyond the sun;
here is no sanctuary.
laid out on the giant's kitchen table
the multicoloured village built to scale
even the dolls will shun
sensing through sapphire spoked,
and subtly, mistrusting eyes-
magically, if it must be said-
that seeing is not believing.
how beautiful the ponds made of glass mirrors
refracting like the distraction of diamonds.
but you would drown on their surfaces.
if you tried.
I recognize,how the great universities
and the charming bell towers
with the coloured cellophane windows of the cathedrals,
enchant me now.
the small citizens with eminent credentials.
and the Christmas markets.
when the artificial snow heaps up
it will be too late to leave
to seek shelter under the painted, potted-
the little disturbing fir trees
mary angela douglas 26 june 2014
