Like Leaving The Piano Pedal Down Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

on a recording of Vladimir Feltsman playing Messiaen-

[for Rodney-]

like leaving the piano pedal down
when you play Messiaen, all the
stained glass bells jangling at the same

time-
let sound be prolonged
and angels not submerged

inside the pearl of music
where the refugees take refuge.
and the haloes of the little clouds

be not obscured on one rosy day
in the Life of the Virgin
before the meadows dried on the walls;

and I prayed with my sister silently
that flowers would never fall from the trees.
and for a cathedral in every shade of Rouault

in my half-dream.
and for singing at breakfast.
and the honey crystallized

in the morning room
the finger paints swirled in the
backyard streams.

and hearing began so far away
when we from the very first were
dressed in conch shell pink by our mother
were

just being ourselves, my sister and I
the very sound of waves;
being ourselves, the sound of distant waves

mary angela douglas 14 june 2014

Note on the poem: Rodney was a kid in my elementary school who loved sea shells. He couldn't speak very well but when he spoke it was with such sincerity.

One day I was sick a little and was allowed to stay inside the classroom during recess. Rodney was also inside that day working on something. He showed me his beautiful conch shell with the vari-colored pink pearly interior and said, as many children do: hold it up to your ear, you can hear the sea.

But he really believed it; and then, so did I.