WHAT BEAUTIFUL SCENES HAVE DISAPPEARED

 

WHAT BEAUTIFUL SCENES HAVE DISAPPEARED

What beautiful scenes have disappeared

From the children’s books

I remember light like cream arising

Over colorful houses

And sprites and goblins both

Their winged blessings bestowed.

The cheerful roads that ran

Through the small green hills

The coral branching sun

And the text said children the world

Is full of possibilities, woven of wonders

Where traffic never snarls

And the skies are bluer than blue

And Sundays always peaceful.

Now they have given children the ashes to eat

The fear of melting glaciers in their sleep

The prosaic in mashed potato mouthfuls.

And for dessert, doom and gloom.

Excavate the books before

The ones where stories were glorious

And buttery sunshine streamed

Endlessly

While we brought Mother wild roses.

Home from school.

mary angela douglas 14 march 2024