red wine
at midnight —
my neck hurts
7/7/12
children play loudly
in the doctor's waiting room
the old sit silent
13/7/12
morning light —
the sound of the cat
being sick
20/7/12
black-masked
he raids our garbage —
white ibis
24/7/12
two aged care homes
placed on either side
of the graveyard
25/7/12
cold Friday
Max's wake is happening
elsewhere
27/7/12
deadly shooting spree —
America responds
by buying more guns
29/7/12
31 July 2012
Rainfall night: July tanka 2012
rainfall night
the cats curled in armchairs
you in bed
falling into dreams
of cats and rain
10/7/12
in all poetry
two parts are better than one
he says —
a bold assertion combining
authority and the absurd
kyoka
31/7/12
11 July 2012
Susan Online
This photo
reminds me
it must be 25 years
since we last met.
An elder's face:
shrewd humour
under the smart
upswept grey hair
and wise lines
made by living
a private life
I know nothing of.
I look for the dark-haired
girl, young Mum
who climbed up and fixed
her own roof tiles
and signed my copy
of her sonnets:
'In memory of
our boating expedition' ...
hear her again
in recordings. You still
read your poems
in that clear young voice.
****
I choose for my article
a different photo, between
then and now — fearful
of breaching copyright
but it seems OK,
and anyway
I don't know how
to find you.
reminds me
it must be 25 years
since we last met.
An elder's face:
shrewd humour
under the smart
upswept grey hair
and wise lines
made by living
a private life
I know nothing of.
I look for the dark-haired
girl, young Mum
who climbed up and fixed
her own roof tiles
and signed my copy
of her sonnets:
'In memory of
our boating expedition' ...
hear her again
in recordings. You still
read your poems
in that clear young voice.
****
I choose for my article
a different photo, between
then and now — fearful
of breaching copyright
but it seems OK,
and anyway
I don't know how
to find you.
9 July 2012
Café Conversation
They are at the table behind me.
I don't turn to look, but I can tell
they are young: twenties. Their bright
voices utter pronouncements,
laughing with assurance. I hear
one woman, two men. One man
talks loudest, leads the conversation,
shares his absolute insights
about life and people. He knows
how both behave, and how
they can be manipulated — for money.
He is telling the other two how much
he is set for success. They believe.
The girl (for I think she is barely
out of school) is almost equally assured
or wants them to think so. She agrees
airily with what the first man says, as if
she too knows, but needs his brilliance
to articulate what's so. If they are not quite
flirting, these two, they are at least trying
to impress. Without looking, I see
they are wearing very smart clothes. She
is well-fed blonde; no I don't mean fat, but with
that lovely layer of plumping under the skin
giving that skin a sunny transparence.
She knows she's got it, that lucky look.
The other man, third wheel, is not in the race.
He is the somewhat subordinate friend
they tolerate, laugh at, and then flatter
just a little bit, to keep him attached.
They scoff at his first remarks; then, after he
has been suitably abashed ten minutes or so,
they gradually start to take him more seriously,
or so it seems. Encouraged now, he expresses
further tentative opinions, kindly received. They
need him, or someone just like him. Meanwhile
I am tired: find myself nodding despite coffee.
I begin to pack up my things, and risk a look —
oh no! Can't believe I got them so exactly right.
I don't turn to look, but I can tell
they are young: twenties. Their bright
voices utter pronouncements,
laughing with assurance. I hear
one woman, two men. One man
talks loudest, leads the conversation,
shares his absolute insights
about life and people. He knows
how both behave, and how
they can be manipulated — for money.
He is telling the other two how much
he is set for success. They believe.
The girl (for I think she is barely
out of school) is almost equally assured
or wants them to think so. She agrees
airily with what the first man says, as if
she too knows, but needs his brilliance
to articulate what's so. If they are not quite
flirting, these two, they are at least trying
to impress. Without looking, I see
they are wearing very smart clothes. She
is well-fed blonde; no I don't mean fat, but with
that lovely layer of plumping under the skin
giving that skin a sunny transparence.
She knows she's got it, that lucky look.
The other man, third wheel, is not in the race.
He is the somewhat subordinate friend
they tolerate, laugh at, and then flatter
just a little bit, to keep him attached.
They scoff at his first remarks; then, after he
has been suitably abashed ten minutes or so,
they gradually start to take him more seriously,
or so it seems. Encouraged now, he expresses
further tentative opinions, kindly received. They
need him, or someone just like him. Meanwhile
I am tired: find myself nodding despite coffee.
I begin to pack up my things, and risk a look —
oh no! Can't believe I got them so exactly right.
7 July 2012
Pain
Pain gives you
clarity — this is
what matters, the
only thing. This
is what it all comes
down to at last.
All those
noble thoughts,
true friendships, love,
art and nature, all
those causes, things
you voted for....
This abject animal,
your body, knows
all that is nothing.
All you want
shrinks. Just to
be free, at the end.
clarity — this is
what matters, the
only thing. This
is what it all comes
down to at last.
All those
noble thoughts,
true friendships, love,
art and nature, all
those causes, things
you voted for....
This abject animal,
your body, knows
all that is nothing.
All you want
shrinks. Just to
be free, at the end.
5 July 2012
Full Moon Observance
Dark rainsky
I think the moon
will be hidden.
When I go out
into clear cold
she is right above.
I tilt my head
her white circle doubles
the two overlap.
Around the vesica piscis
bright blue light
shines and deepens.
Lady Moon
I stand on the earth
and beg for blessings.
The hour grows late
help me now to fulfill
all my promises.
Submitted for dVerse Open Link Night #51
This poem also appears in Sherry's Poets United feature: A Chat With Rosemary Nissen-Wade ~ On Poetry and Witchcraft.
I think the moon
will be hidden.
When I go out
into clear cold
she is right above.
I tilt my head
her white circle doubles
the two overlap.
Around the vesica piscis
bright blue light
shines and deepens.
Lady Moon
I stand on the earth
and beg for blessings.
The hour grows late
help me now to fulfill
all my promises.
Submitted for dVerse Open Link Night #51
This poem also appears in Sherry's Poets United feature: A Chat With Rosemary Nissen-Wade ~ On Poetry and Witchcraft.
2 July 2012
I light a match: June Tanka 2012
full moon
I light a match
give thanks
the spell burns fast
and I’m dancing
5/6/12
Tributes requested
are generously penned
for the dead poet.
And me? I pay tribute
reading her work again.
***********
her words
are clear as fire
lighting
our pathway through
her dark absence
12/6/12
leafless branches
bloom with azaleas
pink on grey
brightening winter
briefly — then pruned
19/6/12
orange blooms
over my fence
the creeper
thrives like the weeds
which I allow
26/6/12
been here
days already
present
to me and himself
now drifts off elsewhere
26-7/6/12
I light a match
give thanks
the spell burns fast
and I’m dancing
5/6/12
Tributes requested
are generously penned
for the dead poet.
And me? I pay tribute
reading her work again.
***********
her words
are clear as fire
lighting
our pathway through
her dark absence
12/6/12
leafless branches
bloom with azaleas
pink on grey
brightening winter
briefly — then pruned
19/6/12
orange blooms
over my fence
the creeper
thrives like the weeds
which I allow
26/6/12
been here
days already
present
to me and himself
now drifts off elsewhere
26-7/6/12
Across darkness: June haiku 2012
full moon
the still night
silence
full moon
the silence alive
held breath
full moon
right above me
dancing
*******
Full moon high above.
I missed it —
the partial eclipse.
5/6/12
across darkness
the starlight travels
a long, long time
12/6/12
tropic winter
huge pink azaleas
on bare twigs
19/6/12
darkness
filled with whispers
poems
*******
night
deep silence
after rain
*******
he sleeps
the cats and I
watch
*******
sleepless
wrote some poems
felt better
29/6/12
Submitted to Poets United's Poetry Pantry #105
the still night
silence
full moon
the silence alive
held breath
full moon
right above me
dancing
*******
Full moon high above.
I missed it —
the partial eclipse.
5/6/12
across darkness
the starlight travels
a long, long time
12/6/12
tropic winter
huge pink azaleas
on bare twigs
19/6/12
darkness
filled with whispers
poems
*******
night
deep silence
after rain
*******
he sleeps
the cats and I
watch
*******
sleepless
wrote some poems
felt better
29/6/12
Submitted to Poets United's Poetry Pantry #105
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