small fluted pastel paper cups held coloured almonds,
salted nuts at our place settings.
wrapped in gold, the trinkets we would carry home
tied with curled blue ribbons.
the denouement: strawberry ice cream!
with a slab of cake and frosted white and pink and green o
why did it seem then we were kings and queens
holding our breath and birthday dreams-
then, blowing out the sun.
anything could have happened then,
even all the wonders.
old tvs flicker with their rabbit ears
even when the set's switched off.
we watch all the reruns now
in colour, when they're on.
revisiting those family scenes
and wishing they were more than dreams
and only down the block
and we could run there fleet as fireflies
where they played Gershwin in the park
drifting through the grill pavilions in
fancy ball gowns the colours of bon bons
then we could see all the stars
tagged with fondest wishes
about to come true as taffeta
mary angela douglas 9 august 2014
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