Silver Poets Census In The Firefly Galaxy Aftermirage Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

'...in the secret place of the Most High.
-Psalm 91

the directory of unpublished poets
drifted under no one's sun
yet did not set with the moon;

mysteriously undervalued,
God takes the silver census of the poets
and the snows

far from the kingdom of newspapers,
closets brimmed with crystal slipper knock offs.
green is the faded hour in His hand

the manuscript purple with tears,
where the blue ink smeared and,
undefiled.

for a little while I have hidden you
under my hand, perhaps, He said
like a firefly glow in the galaxy.

here is the place they buried the sun
said Mandelstam, softly.
said Mandelstam.

mary angela douglas 23 july 2014