the secret I
likes surprise parties continually;
the kind with little presents
wrapped up in pastel tissue paper,
curled ribbons,
I will not deny:
and the invitations earlier,
crisply printed with the painted pink cake,
the cheerful smiles, the green balloons
illuminating
the secret I who
likes many tunes
and humming them all at once
and once upon times times two, or three or four or more
while the jacks spin away from the red rose ball
as if they were galaxies reeling
on a childhood floor and
all that I am needing, dreaming
wheedling from God every day
in the thick of it or out
and bright as mist amidst the purple clover
with rice pudding with raisins for supper
or plain bread and butter spread quite thin
is all delight to the secret I
who likes red delicious
the best when we're speaking in apples,
and orangeade sunrise-
and thinks that there's
an Eternal Festival in it,
every minute,
all this happy scheming:
jam by jam, careening.
mary angela douglas 13 june 2016
likes surprise parties continually;
the kind with little presents
wrapped up in pastel tissue paper,
curled ribbons,
I will not deny:
and the invitations earlier,
crisply printed with the painted pink cake,
the cheerful smiles, the green balloons
illuminating
the secret I who
likes many tunes
and humming them all at once
and once upon times times two, or three or four or more
while the jacks spin away from the red rose ball
as if they were galaxies reeling
on a childhood floor and
all that I am needing, dreaming
wheedling from God every day
in the thick of it or out
and bright as mist amidst the purple clover
with rice pudding with raisins for supper
or plain bread and butter spread quite thin
is all delight to the secret I
who likes red delicious
the best when we're speaking in apples,
and orangeade sunrise-
and thinks that there's
an Eternal Festival in it,
every minute,
all this happy scheming:
jam by jam, careening.
mary angela douglas 13 june 2016
