Holiday

Rupert Bunny, ‘The Bathers’ – 1913. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
'The way you wear your hat 
The way you sip your tea
The memory of all that
No, no they can't take that away from me

The way your smile just beams
The way you sing off key
The way you haunt my dreams
No, no they can't take that away from me

We may never, never meet again
On the bumpy road to love
Still I'll always,
always keep
the memory of...'

They Can't Take That Away~ Song by Billie Holiday

In week of want

In week of want
She fell
Barely breathing
Soft down

Mother beaten
By quoll creeping
By midnight
Took her all

Plucked up
Tucked inside
The crevice of
My cleavage

Feeling beats
Smelling skin
Plucking courage
To cuddle in

Come by night
Settle in
On straw
Under lamp light

By morn I woke
She lay still
Crushed by
Weight of
Loneliness

Sometimes
Only hearing
Beats feeling
Spark of love
Healing

None else
Can be
Our light

Airs and Graces

Inspire
Expire
She moves on air
Vanishing
Deflating

When I first woke
From the nightmare
The cold sweat
Refreshing

All I'd claimed in me
Reappeared
Instantaneously
Writing profusely

My claim to fame
Spoke, wore, dared
Ignition broke
Driver beware

Ditched high hopes
Road to nowhere
Retreated inside
Capacious bare

Only to cling to
Fortunate words
Mythical poems
Senses and nerves

Prove them right
I lose myself
Prove them wrong
Push away

Yeast rising
Hot air
Proves
Daily bread

Every other voice
Chimes in
Beautifully
But only one
Cures gracefully

Sitting pretty
Perched above
Harbour views
Self-soothe

Record player
Of youth
Going roundabout
She is all and all

The girl on the corner
Flipping the bird
Tough time town
Take my word

Tears spilled always
Losing another
Cast away
Girl Friday

No long play
Nor single
Sings the lyrics
I wish to say

Fingers touch
Words into being
Never having
Your own
Living
Breathing
In love
Harbour views, nipaluna/ Hobart, lutruwita/ Tasmania

Lightly lightly

Before I dare 
Open my eyes
Stirrings peep
On the breeze
In the trees
On the window sill
Telling me this
Is a new day
Fills my head
With past present
And future
They fly in lighty
Rest divinely
On the edge
Of the fountain
Dart to nearby
Branches
Lofty places
Flying freely
All around me
They are always
With me
Caleana Major, Flying Duck Orchid – image credit Adam Fry
© 2021 EyeEm Mobile GmbH. Used with permission.

May Queen

Ever since when
Tucked inside
Safe harbour
Tending to
All her needs
When onlookers
Admire her wisdom
Sweat and tears
Protected for
The power
Of her beauty
All these years
May Queen alongside Hobart Wharf, lutruwita/ Tasmania

Missing you

Tied alongside 
Sitting idle
Remembering
The thrill
Of the ride

Ocean waves
Hello
Goodbye
See you
Another time

Fresh air
Breeze
On skin
Salty
Turning
Rusty

Wanting
Washing over
Moving freely
Never feeling
Time enough
When made
For you
Hobart Wharf, lutruwita/ Tasmania

Caught in the storm

Lured from tree house
Hiding places
Secure warm
From tiny throne

Leading loyal ones
To the next home
Caught in a storm
Taken down
As one

She is queen
Her word is won
Workers lives
Depend upon

Sudden storm
Mass extinction
Regret moving
Even mentioned

For one that brings
Our hearts attention
This day such loss
Is worth a mention
Hive with no queen, Cressy Tasmania – Image credit Paul Purton, used with permission.

Green eyes

Seeing green
Is necessary
For healthy mind
Forest bathing
Sublime

Wandering through
Hapless lives
How many times
Listening in
Expecting
Indifference
Disinterest

Instead
Twist of pain
Sharp sides
Insecurities denied

How I longed
To rest alongside
Ever wondering
Are they happier
Without me?

So many unknowns
Least of all
Knowing eyes
Green or blue?

Depending
Whether
Looking
At you