The Goose Girl Praised

sometimes a bit of gold shines through a tattered dress

the rain has its tiaras I confess only that

and where her slippers wear clean through

the dew anoints

the princess disguised.

I would embroider in this wise

on the goose girl exiled

the vault of Heaven, her roof

the scudding clouds

with floss of forget me not blue,

little rosebuds

for she should get her due

in multifaceted lore

shooed out the door

and near to penury

you are still who you are with your bunch of violets

though they have scattered you

farther than Far

friendless yet holding the secret still

that God helps whom He will.

mary angela douglas 3 july 2019