This Is The Unit On Words

this is the unit on words,
on words that explode like stars in the mind
like words, like stars at the end of time

this is the lesson on saying goodbye
but not to the images of light.
this is the unit on flight

broken down to trajectories;
broken down past the dictionary meanings

or rising above the words like glass
like diamond glass admired by the child
sunlit at the window

where the glass bottles shine in their
various their myriad colours
or tree fall at Christmas and glistening

this is the unit on listening
on not being listened to
on the sunburst words

by midnight tried and sentenced and suddenly
this is the unit on the pure
who hedge words inside

as if they were gold and the ark itself
who understand the word unsold
nor bartered in the business day

breaking all covenants.

this is the Word that holds sway
while pundits shatter it.
this is the unit on the words that mattered

scattershot and jeweled
that fall by the wayside dreamer
on his or her way to school

who will endure
past all units finally
past all misconstruing translated

past the rose hedges decimated
the fine castles obliterated
into

the pearl, indomitable alphabet
of God.

mary angela douglas 1 october 2019