Stay But Don't Stay

I will stay but I will not stay
she thought to herself in the fairy tale
bower, in the dreaded tower

little by little I will withdraw my soul
like the waves on waters.
and the waves go out the picnickers

feel no qualm
that there is anything wrong

and the sun is shining all about
like the nursery song said
and on the waves but do the

same waves return?
or it something else, instead?
no I said spinning the moon into deeper gold.

no and no.

they stay but they do not stay, the waves;
so it is with my soul
and winter, when it comes.

I will sing and sing the sun into shadow
the shadow into gloom.
I will stay but I will not stay

and they will not know the difference.

mary angela douglas 28 december 2015