This Flowering Of Leaves

God will dispense with the flame throwers
that apples of silver may not recede into pictures of gold
or the pitcher be broken at the cistern of snows the moon

a scrim on the well waters indisposed
while Jesus wept and wept stars
and they will chide me this green is deceiving
this flowering of leaves and you are mute

and the muted stream but I am not
I cried with violet intensity I am not
the speaker behind the scenes

and the Holy Ghost drifting out to sea
and standing still yet I am the Presence
whenever I stand and I don't cut the whirlwinds in my hands

and I will pray through the ink bright day in the clauses of the april winds
and bend not
nor break

though the weight of spurious language
drive me to the ground

mary angela douglas 17 april 2020