Pastoral Poem by James Mullaney

A trellised rose garden rose gold and white
on the crest of a lavender landscape;
A rill dimpled bright like cut-glass in light
when a bashful moon punctured the cloudscape.
A maid gathered bluebells and baby's breath
on the skirt of on evergreen woodland;
and when the time came to gather up Death
she was swept to Arcadian goodland.
She met her big sister, Emily Ann,
and the two-month-old stricken with fever.
Then Mother informed her her fancy-dan
was with Dis. She refused to believe her.
A rooster may strut a whirlwind hour.
The Devil, though, lurks long in the bower.