An Angel Appeared to Rilke in the Garden
Of course, the angel came to him in a garden,
that kingdom of buzzing and chirps and chucks,
a hotbed for the miraculous where dew
settles on hibiscus like eye-gleams and bijoux,
and acorns drop, sprouting a maple tree
amid the rhododendron.
Of course, Rilke saw the angel
where mimosa petals fall, feathery
and languorous in wind.
There is magic in the yellow rays
of dandelions, so like children’s
drawings of the sun and magic in the spell
cast by honeysuckle scent.
Of course, Rilke saw the angel come down
from plush clouds in a sky the blue
of all the rivers of Heaven,
come down to visit him in the garden
where even the lowly snail is holy.
Rochelle Jewel Shapiro has published in the New York Times (Lives). Nominated for a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, her short stories and poetry have been published in The MacGuffin, Euphony, the Iowa Review, and many more. Her poetry collection, Death, Please Wait was published by Turtle Box Press in 2023. She teaches writing at UCLA Extension. http://rochellejshapiro.com @rjshapiro
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