Saturday morning

Saturday morning
jackhammer waits until eight
before breaking piece

Kookaburra stirs

Kookaburra stirs
a low trill before the dawn
returns to the nest

Small town Friday night

Small town Friday night
car tyres shredding on the road
burning money sound

Tentative first steps

Tentative first steps
limbs loosen after more songs
self-consciousness fades

Albury morning

Albury morning
birdsong I don't recognise
missing my routine

Intermittent rains

Intermittent rains
punctuate early morning
while sleep evades me

Wafting on mild breeze

Wafting on mild breeze
caramelised sugar smell
interrupts my thoughts

"Me too," I might say

"Me too," I might say
can't shake those beasts from my bones
knowing not knowing

Bristling branches hang

Bristling branches hang
normally a plain green shrub
red bottlebrush blooms

Stripped back by hot winds

Stripped back by hot winds
leave only the important
in Allah's garden

Poetry can cure

Poetry can cure
pervasive skepticism
know that language works

Prose for reflection

Prose for reflection
for self-fortification
to accept unrest

Purple irises

Purple irises
petals open in the sun
swaying in the breeze

Fear of missing out

Fear of missing out
world awash with images
it's all illusion

Anticipation

Anticipation
darkening clouds and warm winds
waiting for spring rain

Tractors plowing dirt

Tractors plowing dirt
wind carrying clouds of dust
ahead of rain clouds

A chime on the wind

A chime on the wind
my neighbour’s shade sail chain swings
to collide with pole

Cool breeze over tiles

Cool breeze over tiles
as the morning sky lightens
keeps my home pleasant

Writing workshop

“Quick! It’s your girlfriend.
She can’t see us on the couch.
Here take the cushion.”

One passionate kiss
was all it took for Nigel
to loosen his bowels

One middy later
nearly under the table
they were asked to leave

Radio at six

Radio at six
stirs a brighter room each morn
and deeper sleeper

Deep boom breaks silence

Deep boom breaks silence
kids cooing while dogs whimper
fireworks at showgrounds

One ear to the door

One ear to the door
both eyes on the laptop screen
awaiting a knock

A blue heron squawks

A blue heron squawks
like a strangled rubber toy
in the early hours

Bare limbs have been dressed

Bare limbs have been dressed
wearing this season's colours
as spring brings leaves back

Four frogs this morning

Four frogs this morning
croaking from storm water drains
as I walked the block

In quiet moments

In quiet moments
when a ringing fills my ears
I can sense a voice

Sunlight beams through bricks

Sunlight beams through bricks
slipping through the zigzag cracks
light a crooked path

Trickle on the road

Trickle on the road
reflecting light like water
brown snake soaking sun

This time of the year

This time of the year
daylight savings impact seems
disproportionate

When the rain begins

When the rain begins
I move the car for a wash
then return to bed

Magpie swoops my son

Magpie swoops my son
after stepping on prickles
his tears start welling

Talked into corner

Talked into corner
passion to speak frog-leaps thought
"F this and F that!"

300th Junto

300th Junto
three chords on three instruments
one hundred seconds

Nestled under gums

Nestled under gums
a delightful new theme camp
Glam n Cheese Toasties

“Bag of dicks” she says

“Bag of dicks” she says
then replies to my decline
“That was a statement.”

Red-breasted robin

Red-breasted robin
visits my Matong camp site
early afternoon

Flame embers float high

Flame embers float high
spun into night on smoke clouds
to dance among stars