Blackberries Drenched In The Cream Of Good Consciences Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

to Beatrix Potter

blackberries drenched in the cream of good consciences
set before the good little rabbits...
poor Peter, I thought uneasily,

almost baked in a pie.
sent to bed with no supper while his
bunny sisters tittered

filled to the brim with berries,
almost growing wings.

I wanted to bring him blackberries myself
or at least some lemon ice cream with
a thin cookie, maybe, from the Howard J.'s

we visited in summer or
a candy bar, an ice cream sandwich or two.

later I loved dear Beatrix for the Christmas tale
of Gloucester
and it's twist of cherry silk

and wanted to write innumerable poems
or stitch them bit by bit with a twist of her
cherry silk, but how could I nibble

in her story patch

fearing I'd be baked in a pie, too?

mary angela douglas 24 august 2014