Scarlatti From A Scarlet Music Book

[to my sister, Sharon]

scarlatti from a scarlet music book
inscribed in gold floated out the window

when you played, don't you remember?

what's polishing for if not to make the

ruby notes shine more than anyone's ever

done before

though everything THEN seems a distant shore;

and the bridge of music's closed; at least,

the piano lid and where are you

who are you now I do not know

though we shared birthdays, Christmases

as if we were twins.

almost but not quite I wonder where you go

to erase the picture taken way back when,

where, we stood like bookends in the same

silk brown gingham dresses

for the same recitals.

I am as though a lid's been slammed on my fingers

of pure ivory, something glazed, rich and expensive

as the memories you've disowned

oh, tell me quick if you still can

could we ever change the record or

like the memories of snow have we disappeared

and don't recall that we snowed once before?

mary angela douglas 6 october 2014