Wednesday, November 29, 2023

IF I FORGET TO READ (FORMERLY TITLED LOST BOOKS LOST ON PURPOSE)

 

If I forget to read

between the lines of the butterfly crumbling lovely pages

in the dust-laden magisterial corners of the Ages


faintly may the violets of future Springs

reprimand; the baby stars leave off

shining in the land of ploughed under kingdoms.


if I refuse the gleaning of the wild apple borders

of the suddenly untold retold intertwined with gold, with silver,

cerise


I will entreat my Soul:

oh do not cease to know


knowing that they are mine to know,

so fervently passed down.

but, if so,

may the string quartets quartered, confined in

the Attic attics repining,


break my heart.


far far is the world from bliss, contemplating

all this banishment and fallen foul

of this, of these faded valentines with the clasped hands

the pale blue ribbons streaming

meaning upon meaning, weeping


the fin de siecle of feeling, Beauty,

sentiment

from the mouths of doves so wreathed

then may the small birds fly away

from the rainbow scuttling rills deceiving


and may no one till from the Ground of being anymore

failing to impart IMMORTALITY

from the secret this so sacred Ark,for

the least of these spent languages,

the currencies of dreams.


mary angela douglas 12 march 2015;29 november 2023

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