And This Is A True Story

say farewell to the pearl moon through the clouds

drifting no more;goodbye

to the orange and lollipop sun

to the rose beds when the wind is free

and scatters the tea roses endlessly

to the scent of new mown grass

to the Cinderella carriage gold and glass

to the kaleidoscope raspberry and olive in

its configurations shaken into flowers

to hours and hours of pretending to be the queen

the swans in transformation to sing to sing the

songs about the rose and briar

of Joan of Arc passing through the fire

to a  white gold glory and, and the Fairy Tree besides

but she said no. I never will.

and this is a true story.

mary angela douglas 5 february 2022