Love

Tags

children, couples, family, life, love, parents, poem, poetry

 

Birds sang out of step
occasioning a whistle
cattle foraged on forth
in touch with morning dew
a light breeze met tall trees
above his morning brew
as dogs howled in the distance
angling for their stew

 

 
The light soon met moving clouds
above the mountains beyond
before blue sky appeared
the night now all but gone
just as the papers pages
began to turn one on one
two small feet appeared
beneath his smiling son

 

Then as the sun shone forth
she suddenly glanced his way
reminding of the warmth
that greeted him each day
a weakness within his heart
echoed through to his spine
loving her so much
as fingers intertwine

Christmas at Nans

Tags

boots, children, christmas, country, countryside, family, houses, life, poem, poetry, rural, summer

The window in the front room
spanning over acres of light
encompassing years of family
impaired only by a rather obtuse chip
Nan said the chip was the result of a rifle shot
Uncle Murray put it down to the mower’s stone

Outside galahs passed gently overhead
the farmers moved onward’s
over their crops of green
sprayers gave thirst to newborn plants
whilst over the river the township lay still

The church towering over the houses affront
the chairs inside they sang of tradition
of rich rural land filled with hard working souls
the piano played softly caressing the day

An easy southerly breeze overflowed the stockman’s seat
where sat the veranda
the old man and his dog
boots so proud they stood up on their own
bookshelves
music boxes
paintings of yesteryear

Freshly cut lawns
drew in the meandering trees
all the time above
kept cool by the fans
summer wouldn’t be summer
without Christmas at Nans

eating quietly

Tags

children, family, life, lonely, men, parents, poem, poetry

The photos leaned awkwardly
unable to stand up straight
her shower fell in gusts
distant toward the night
where flying foxes confused
the autumn evening chill
they needed to move north now
far from his lonely hill

The children sat eating quietly
attempting to read their books
as planes flew south
gently overhead
he could feel his body itching
anxious to get away
as she drew the shower curtain back
maybe now he’d stay

Her hair was washed and easy
sheltering her grin
flung open at uncertain intervals
dancing upon her skin
yet out within his night
the stars did swathe and sway
tempting him to enter
asking him to play

Should he move with the wind?
Or walk on back inside?
Meet the night time traffic?
Or forever lay still
and subside?
I think I’ll walk away
He said now to himself
the night time sky looks beautiful
I’ll keep it to myself

A Mothers Brood

Tags

children, cold, family, mother, poem, poetry, poverty

 

Her feet moved rather slowly
her ankles feeling cramp
up the oncoming rise
sweaty verging on damp
the children following her footsteps
one by one they came
in search of what lay ahead
scared of pending rain
for their house was ridden with leaks
wet rusty then old
inside they huddled together
unable to escape the cold
blankets covered with mould
feet unclean at best
struggling to provide enough light
she went to bed then wept

 

What would become of her flock?
Her brood her offspring at foot
What would tomorrow bring?
Much of the same rang her clock
when two children cried in her stance
she arose to attend to their needs
yet the sun had already set
the dye unfortunately cast
her life was albeit over
crippled by her past
the flickering light in her bedroom
was the only constant she did know
if only the light would turn on
to ignite her inner glow

they had known

Tags

cancer, death, family, life, love, poem, poetry, sadness

driving suddenly to forget one’s self
lights passed by
white lines brought her memory forward
the front porch light
lay open the house door
two weary onlookers sat bewildered
go in and see her

the bed was so high
sheets lay beneath the eiderdown in which she lay
breathing
tubes
machines
metal wheels
cold
still breathing
heavily
holding one hand
talking softly
weeping

jumping upon her bed
what to say
could she hear
all thoughts met
an intersection
she moved ever so slowly from my grasp
over the waterfall

the kitchen looked at me
they had known
all before had passed on
the clock ticked
lonely
one flat floor
she lay grey
go in and see her