Sunday, February 14, 2016

I Wish You A Red Crayon Heart Of A Day

[to my sister Sharon F. Douglas on Valentine's Day]

I wish you a red crayon heart of a day
bearing down hard on the crayon, remember?
that way you get the darkest red

waxing almost Christmas! or layered edge to edge
and fit for roses, the roofs of little houses
under a corner sun

and the rays extending
in dotted lines on you, on everyone.
these were our masterpieces of

the classroom afternoons clapping the erasers
so the chalkdust scattered like pollen
because it mattered to do everything

with that much heart to stay in tune so

as to fall on our aluminum foil swords
or shimmer, the princess,
in a tower of words

and that was all we knew of art
and all that we knew when
all schoolroom days parted from us

and the autographs of friends
scattered like petals
before a rising wind...

mary angela douglas 14 february 2016

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