THE WINTER MUSIC HERE AT HOME

frost fills the room quite quaintly,

delicately, daintily

and I expect no less a miracle

than that it should snow here in my book snug rooms

because of the window that will not close

that cannot be fixed or so I was told or it was inferred

that clouds should form near the low ceilings

rococo as you please in tints of pink and gold

and caves of crystal too where implacable angels reside

keeping you alive when the thermostat won't do

when the winds come through as in Scandinavian folktales

star crossed, from the Great distances

to a dollhouse apartment imprecisely heated;

turning all, all into the ice blue notations, phrases

glazed phases of the moon tree shadows shivering

gusting into the tiny living room the kitchen niche

the teakettle

staffed on every line with curio tunes

that I may inscribe

the imprint of two thousand Christmases,

the opulences of pines; aurora borealis

in three quarter time of a music box waltz

composed and recomposed into the sublime

glorious repetitions of the Christ child codas...

christening,

how jubilation does not cease from age to age

even if not candlelit creamy but overflowing

filling every page with sainted transparencies

stained glassed coloured in the waning days

when you fold the crease in the music and move lightly on

to become the Song itself as it is prolonged 

even to the point of freezing time in its rudiments

and in its gemlike chimes finding the sound is

mine like the carolers depicted on old sheet music;

come to life!

your mouth like a cherry o

the way we sang at school so long ago

or in the odd dream with the forest glade rippling

once again in your cameo appearances to reprise

the frail assurances of all those early Springs

the pale green surprise

that was and will remain my fondest glissando

even trailing off into the winter stars

peering into the little matchstick girl

scenarios

that spurt of flame bejeweled,

inexplicably beautiful:brine, on the incoming wave

down to the chilling bone

this winter's visionary music, here at home.

mary angela douglas 28 october 2022;29 october 2022;18 february 2023