Analise

in paintings she would be the one whose hand was trailing in the water like a lily

for whom the clouds turned pink the whole year she was five

who breathed in music and exhaled ivory mists to stay alive

the snow child. adopted by the old couple in some remote village

afraid of Spring flowers because they meant goodbye.

who gathered white violets and sighed.in tiny rosebuds.

analise, perhaps they called her. analise.

with a cream coloured petticoat 

a pelisse of pale blue stars

I thought of her that way having read the story

so many times

I thought I had received it in a dream.

mary angela douglas 23 february 2021