AN EASTER REMINISCENCE

we will peel again the gold foil from the small chocolate eggs

or the ones speckled robin's egg blue

my sister and I

wearing our lace trimmed dresses for Easter

with ten thousand it seemed like, crinolines

and think of the dogwoods blooming

for Jesus in the garden released from the tomb

the dogwoods we see in the yards of our neighborhood

the azaleas, on the drive home from Church

we are small

we think God put the lilies on the altar for His son Himself

and this is how everything comes to pass eventually

even one memory of the easter eggs we dyed ourselves with

Grandmother

being found in clumps of grass or always hidden in the flower

beds

by our Grandfather, even one moment

just thinking of that now

brings an inrush of joy so surpassing sweet

and Mama in my dream whispering He is risen

wake from sleep, wash the sand from your eyes

from the dreamkeeper    

I imagine the sky

painted in all the pastel colours

as if the skies were sherbet

and Easter at home

the wedding party of the ages.

mary angela douglas 24 february 2023