2254
7.61
3.iii.26
at the
furry carwash
ekphrastic for Kathy Temin’s
‘My Monument: Black Garden’
no comb, no brush
at rest, benign
weave a circle round
patch light inside
there looks to be a way in
out
it menaces
touch so it begins
you’re drawn
you’ll sink inside
these walls close in
a slip
and you’ll be gone
\
2253
7.60
2.iii.26
as far
as the eye can see
ekphrastic for Grayson Perry’s
‘Animal Spirit’
to market to market
these are the words
serious reasonable rational wise
prudent sensible fair
bear’s balls and bull’s
horns
tongue out between teeth
common sense important
hanged from a bare branch
before the endless oilfields
objective logical
you won’t even see how a
planet burns
with manger child
and fern crack rise
armoured like a clock
rapacious
sky’s comet struck
all this climbing
now just here
splat
2252
7.59
1.iii.26
sometimes a trail
ekphrastic for Rover Thomas’ 1984 ‘Country called Red
Butte
sometimes a trail’s
perimeter
could be sand inside
might have blown here
could be where fence
will be
could blur
as sun comes blinding
night in our presence
then
sometimes rain frames
or fork off here
see mountain side on
there’s thirst
the boundary blows
down
you won’t see
moongleam
all sorts won’t
we’re made of stone
we’re travelling
sometimes
how do we go?
great stretches
whiff of invisible
prints
you’ll see back to
where you’re from
a gust of years
reshapes
the journey home
we’re on the trail
we’re following
it’s after life
all this
2251
7.58
28.ii.26
come out into the sun
assertions of presence
haiku/ senryu set for the Gore Cove Track Series
come out into the sun
lizard hunting
I can’t see you
either
dragonflight
leaf breeze twirling
the singing high up
goes unseen
mangrove tide wading
noon still, plash
city hum behind
in the remnants of
the fire
a flower
this was long ago
in all the broad
harbour
world washing up
look down and you’ll
see the sky
rhythm of words
feet follow
so we go
walk faster than the
sun
to keep my skin
plain white
pause to catch a
breath uphill
one line down
go on
the leaf blower
‘enough bloody noise
pollution’
I yell at the top of
my lungs
there isn’t a track
I have no camera
wilds are away in me
step after step
after step after step
not even nearly gone
2250
7.57
27.ii.26
around some unnamed cape
ekphrastic for Girolamo Nerli’s 1890 ‘The Voyagers’
wrapped almost
faceless for the weather
angle at the world to
come
flimsy rail dividing
this sea would fill
the frame
deck is a mirror
awash
sea’s higher than the
ship
but better up here
than rolling bunk
blind
green gill white
knuckle clench either way
hard tweed man, long
of beard
pockets his watch for
safety
who knows what time’s
out here?
he can remember
higher crags
delivers the words of
solace to
or take them for a
mock
all this is so’s to
be gone
all this is to arrive
2249
7.56
26.ii.26
the light is singing
for the Gore Cove Track Series
picture it
tree leaning to
assist
just a phrase
ledge jutting
eyes down too
and the fallen
all the washed up world
a mangrove creek meet
that’s arriving!
it’s care makes
the way
track is a trick of the feet
picture stone for a stillness
voices behind and voices ahead
are we not perching?
ant hollowed
not a breeze to carve
bark, of its own accord
comes down when the yay high sun’s to burn
stumps, fresh shoots
it goes around, but it’s not a clock
there isn’t a wheel
it’s snout along, leash led
that’s the track come after me
I make it up as I go
2248
7.55
25.ii.26
everyone looks down
ekphrastic for Marshall Claxton’s 1851 ‘The Dickinson
Family’
they make of
opportunity
a locket, clean
hands, the tight cravat
little princess
coiffed
frame gilt
so rosy, later
patronize
they all know who
they must be
they must never see
where they are
