You Said I See The River Through The Trees

you said I see the river through the trees
they said there is no river
there is only a creek

when you are little it is hard to make
those distinctions
I see the skies you replied and rose upon rose

and rainbow sherbet layers
where varicoloured angels flock
at sunset casting

the partry favors
colouring the winds

they said oh you pretend
but Grandmother understood
sometimes children see farther.

close reading the pear trees in the story book
to see if they were truly gold.
there is a land I am told

(she smiled)

kenst du das land, you know
the song of citrus and the groves of
let me stay there 

where the inlaid breezes sway
barely ruffling the turquoise of the bay
but that is not to be 

a distant relative at Christmas wrote
thinking you should be more realistic
at that age.

mary angela douglas 26 october 2017