The Poem Bird Nested In The Rafters Of Dream

the poem bird nested in the rafters of Dream
and fluttered softly its starry wings
and puzzled lightly as night drew on

above the land that had no Song
that had no song.

it carried jewels within its beak
and dropped them into the dreamlesss sleep
of those who favored prose instead

and read the news as if they were dead
and read the news.

but lately the clouds have lifted the tune
and something musical filled the room
for a little while we almost resumed

in golden letters or crystal shoon
the dance we lived by when we were new
when we were new.

oh poem bird banished
i don't know why
we learned to prefer

a starless sky
I wish I wish before I die
you'll sing in the violet skies returned

and we will forget the lies we learned
the lies we learned.

mary angela douglas 17 february 2019