Trees became a grove

Trees became a grove
steam danced atop the co-op
framed by a sunrise 

Grinding of mortar

Grinding of mortar
as walls shift with earth tremors
my neck hairs rising 

Condensed summaries

Condensed summaries
I write tote bag poetry
vacations in thought 

Among precious thoughts

Among precious thoughts
worthless trinkets demand sight
art is devalued 

Smokier sunsets

Smokier sunsets
poetry’s job is beauty
apocalypse waits

Exiting in text

Exiting in text
thoughts disappear before time
lines are for waiting

Container of flesh

Container of flesh
can I be available
put aside thinking 

Where it will take you

Where it will take you
follow a thing for meaning
don’t think about it 

Deal with mechanics

Deal with mechanics
the less you note those feelings
more feelings emerge 

Planned to make money

Planned to make money
poetry got in the way
in my hours alone 

Consuming ideas

Consuming ideas
throwing sentences on wind
eating universe 

Alone in my thoughts

Alone in my thoughts
as one of my sensations
we walked on paper 

Shadows who we are

Shadows who we are
in this world where we forget
my desires are vague

Gasp and claw for air

Gasp and claw for air
let that unscripted outburst
punctuate your words 

Sometimes the readers

Sometimes the readers
walk alongside the speaker
navigating words 

Creative spirit

Creative spirit
that impetus within us
finds a tradition 

Our lives colliding

Our lives colliding
broadcasting from our bedrooms
sharing our small worlds 

Slipping in blessings

Slipping in blessings
ritual in my systems
spirits power on 

As drums count in songs

As drums count in songs
sets my pace like a routine
rhythm focuses

Rising chimney smoke

Rising chimney smoke
twisting against the dark sky
synced to Blackbird’s song 

Unironically

Unironically
living an oxymoron
at peak rock bottom

My more-able self

My more-able self
judges my less-able self
without compassion 

Pale flesh before me

Pale flesh before me
tenderly I slap her arse
moan colours her breath 

White spots when I blink

White spots when I blink
feels I’m staring at a sun
in her radiance 

Imagine our lives

Imagine our lives
if the sun was like the moon
four seasons each month 

Death cold-called my phone

Death cold-called my phone
I hadn’t known my heart died
her voice stirred something 

Pitch and resonance

Pitch and resonance
music translates into things
emotions emerge 

Future promises

Future promises
free hugs after the vaccine
fatalities first 

Sitting on the road

Sitting on the road
staring blankly at headlights
curious rabbit 

My missus and I

My missus and I
the years have run like rabbits*
emptied our burrow 

*Deliberately past tense
after WH Auden

Her intense blue eyes

Her intense blue eyes
belie a passion for life
the bunny boiler 

Enthusiastic

Enthusiastic
chirrups from the bottlebrush
red-cheeked wattle bird 

When I’m sick of work

When I’m sick of work
my creative nausea
balances my health 

Historic spaces

Historic spaces
museums for changing worlds
fading memories