Who Are We That You Should Squander

who are we that You should squander on us
so many stars, illuminations over the castles
so bright so bright

we forget where we are
in the summer grass
with the fire balloons ascending

the sprinklers in a purple blue dusk.

there it is, the perennial grace note
in my poem from Ray Bradbury
torchlight for the gazebo

thank you, Ray.
thank you God who in your green shade
have furnished for us

so many songs.
early and late.
on the piano, the pianola.

oh let the gate, wide open, survive

let all the singers arise
in a silvery stream
beyond sunrise

beyond our qualms
there, with the children making mudpies
where the gardens sing too full of gardenias

and the perfumes of forever
wafting us on.

mary angela douglas 9 may 2019