Chekovian, My Cherry Jubilee

how happy I was on  certain cerise afternoons
reading Chekov's Cherry Orchards endlessly
up to the point the first axe felled...

for me perhaps for you in your Heavenly dacha
watching the lacework clouds
the sound of the axe is stilled

and the cherry orchards bloom
and bloom. I send this note to you
if it may be

your saints would entertain the thought to pass it on
as couriers of song

no matter what happened in Russia later on
at least on your earlier pages the orchards remain.

this is the power of literature
I think.while History's plunging off the brink,
it is still...still

surrendered to blossoms of pink.

mary angela douglas 22 july 2018