GAINING TIME

(for my sister Sharon) 

even in childhood

and early then

we had the velvet nights to spend

in playing secretly with our dolls

hushed as hushed with our bears and all

ready at the first alert

to heap them under the fortress quilts

and feign deep sleep in bunkbed city.

sometimes to laugh and spoil our chance

to add more time to the wilting hours

and all the bears just wanted  to dance

and somersault if there was a chance

but who could help laughing when the dolls were so witty

the bears so pithy I ask and I ask.

how happy we were the time to gain

I think we still can be this way

now that we're in the golden age

they say.

we had so much practice at it

when we were little.

adding time with a rose red rhyme

viewing the stars from a backyard window.

mary angela douglas 19 may 2023