The Rains Are Sweeping the Canyons While We're All Inside

beautiful canyons spanned the distance
but we were all at work.
at school.

in the laundry rooms.
watching tv.

what if it had been different
what if we hadnt kept our heads down
when the Perseids showered

their gold for free.
what if freedom was for beauty.

playing the mandolin
under the moon.

what if candy cane deliberations
in the Christmas drug stores
at the last minute, while the snow flew

had meant everything always.
and the Nativity.
set in the window

with its yellow bulbed star
its radiance
and the beauty

spanning the distance
had been
where we lived

instead of just
keeping our heads down.
taking someone else's word for it

taking one test in the row
and passing the rest down soundlessly
when the silver rains swept through;

motionless. registering only

all the second hand things we knew.
or were expected to.

mary angela douglas `12 april 2019