Whimsy

Sometimes thoughts pass by

Sometimes thoughts pass by
sometimes it fits a haiku
I wait in ambush

Selfishly dreaming

Selfishly dreaming
alternate reality
waking soaked ennui

To collaborate

To collaborate
it requires merging ideas
more than more people

Compare and contrast

"Compare and contrast"
a direction from essays
now words to live by

As stars fade from view

As stars fade from view
air still warm from yesterday
today will cook soon

My concentration

My concentration
without an itch to be scratched
life before Facebook

While twiddling my thumbs

a sense of productivity

love online projects

Blankets muffle sound

Blankets muffle sound
I’ll retreat to bed to heal
anechoic heart

If the label fits

If the label fits
your knee-jerk nationalism
Oi oi fucking oi

Like a narrative

Like a narrative
leads one to a perspective
so does driving roads

A shooting star streaks

A shooting star streaks
a plane passes overhead
like ships in the night

Evading capture

Evading capture
running loose in the top paddock
those obsessive thoughts

Mid-summer rainfall

Mid-summer rainfall
a Butcher Bird's mournful song
my favourite sounds

Effortless tears fall

Effortless tears fall
connect me with ancestors
as I cut onions

Dogs barking last night

Dogs barking last night
a neighbour's cat taunting them
circling past their yard

Bathed in blue-red glow

Bathed in blue-red glow
holding ends of the rainbow

our sunset last night

A phenomena

A phenomena
did my eyes adjust to dark
or is it first light?

My little foible

My little foible
central to my character
easily dismissed

Earth is easy mode

Earth is easy mode
every other planet
wants to kill humans

Cynicism is

Cynicism is:

void of positive outcome
void of agency

She finds Gibran naff

She finds Gibran naff
"Where did poetry hurt you?"
Some time I must ask

Cunnamulla dream

Cunnamulla dream
"mother-in-law" I was told
no mention online

At night it's louder

At night it's louder
as noises between my ears
swirl without context

Public art danger

Public art danger
rhino sculpture by the road
nearly causes crash

With each rejection

With each rejection
possibilities open
I feel empowered

Orange sideburn hair

Orange sideburn hair
glowing in the morning sun
before turning grey

School had health hustles

School had health hustles
when I devised the routine
everyone died

Absorb the details

Absorb the details
know where to look for the plot
watch the same film twice

Wonderful dream

Wonderful dream
I learned to ride an eagle
you climb on their tail

Treat yourself kindly

Treat yourself kindly
better than your partner does
learn to love yourself

Across the country

Across the country
acrid smoke stings our eyes
future is unclear

Rosedale holidays

Rosedale holidays
long ago but part of me
now they're memories

Hear the words spoken

Hear the words spoken
when people want your advice
they will ask for it

I open the door

I open the door
my skin tightens from hot air
checking an oven

Stained by bushfire smoke

Stained by bushfire smoke
a painterly quality
filters the sunrise

Awaiting a meal

Awaiting a meal
ignoring rabbits nearby
a well-fed eagle

Happiness consumes

Happiness consumes
finishing items from fridge
then shopping for more

This is an ending

This is an ending
as thoughts must remain my own
collected elsewhere

Stock boiled with nettle

Stock boiled with nettle
rice cooked with spinach and leek
best risotto yet

Washing the dishes

Washing the dishes
gloved hands deep in hot water
trackpants start to slip

The moment light hits

The moment light hits
perfectly in photograph
composition skewed

Hearing her heartbeat

Hearing her heartbeat
quickening pace on embrace
touching her backside

I trimmed my branches

I trimmed my branches
allowing more light to fall
the birds look confused

I dream of travels

I dream of travels
forget the town where I live
my heart lives elsewhere

Glorious sunshine

Glorious sunshine
spring is time to exercise
fleeing from magpies

Cloaked as though shadowed

Cloaked as though shadowed
mocking me from a corner
a ghost out of reach

I dream of houses

I dream of houses
sprawling and familiar
yet no home of mine

Lovers end each day

Lovers end each day
as sun sinks behind her curves
clouds begin to blush

Outside my windows

Outside my windows
the blackbirds have been singing
before the sunrise

Adults need to play

Adults need to play
playgrounds are for everyone
swing those swings today

Deceptive sunlight

Deceptive sunlight
blinding clear skies late winter
cold daggers of wind

Through overcast months

Through overcast months
they looked and snapped like bare sticks
then blossoms appeared

Old dog learned new tricks

Old dog learned new tricks
resisted the resistance
kept my big mouth shut

Voices overlap

Voices overlap
discrete yet under one roof
singing and speaking

These lines like blushes

These lines like blushes
revealing in their response
I can't keep secrets

Where does doubt flow from?

Where does doubt flow from?
Seeping under foundations
sinking the building

It was the first time

It was the first time
the barber trimmed my eyebrows
feel I’ve come of age

In my thoughts again

In my thoughts again
never getting over you
gives something to do

Lackadaisical

Lackadaisical
from Shakespeare’s term “lack a day”
into something else

Looking at my kids

Looking at my kids
imagining them older
seeing they are older

Harshest conditions

Harshest conditions
peak in summer and winter
death comes twice a year

Research your passions

Research your passions
love of art is art of love
it’s all in technique

Belly button lint

Belly button lint
a message from your mother
wash your self and clothes

An email just asked

An email just asked:
“How to get a big penis?”
Dating men I guess

I’m a strong white man

I’m a strong white man
who drinks only one coffee
only one each day

When I stretch my arms

When I stretch my arms
while on my own each morning
Brian Blessed yawns

I knew you briefly

I knew you briefly
you held my gaze and I yours
anticipating

Save them for future

Save them for future
those emotions stirred just now
what was I thinking?

His backyard garden

His backyard garden
symbolised he provided
the shed workshop too

Falling raindrops pause

Falling raindrops pause
shifting light changes the scene
detail in focus

Dulled hum of traffic

Dulled hum of traffic
respectful sparrow chatter
awaking in fog

In our thoughts are words

In our thoughts are words
encoded experience
transmitted feelings

Pic by Peita Vincent of 'The Second O of Sorrow' by Sean Thomas Dougherty

A clearing shower

A clearing shower
petrichor soaks through wood smoke
gentle morning rain

Cool sheets on warm skin

Cool sheets on warm skin
a transition that contrasts
warm bath each morning

Epic character

Epic character
a constraint in composing
very big guitar

Since the dawn of time

Since the dawn of time
singing with the rising sun
birds echo our sphere

Wandering hunger

Wandering hunger
my breakfast is distraction
I seek thought all day

School holidays end

School holidays end
the house is ours once again
to do “nothing much”

Happiness demands

Happiness demands
remember to surrender
freely and deeply

Running together

Running together
pictures will appear to move
each frame a lifetime

Pale leaf remaining

Pale leaf remaining
on naked limbs of bare tree
lit by morning sun

The deer in the bush

The deer in the bush
also eat magic mushrooms
as should animals

Her snort when she laughs

Her snort when she laughs
speaks of unselfconsciousness
holding her own space

Dream another's dream

Dream another's dream
waking on another's bed
disoriented

In golden light beams

In golden light beams
reflecting on the low clouds
slivers of sunset

Sparkling on grey clouds

Sparkling on grey clouds
shifting patterns in the sky
flocks of white birds fly

Like The Hulk's ripped clothes

Like The Hulk's ripped clothes
bark hanging off in ribbons
smooth gum tree branches

When the sky is clear

When the sky is clear
you can see the stars at night
then you feel humbled

Playing on the drums

Playing on the drums
hitting along to a tune
tears stream down my face

In death as in life

In death as in life
standing out under blue sky
absorbing sunlight

Each clump a story

Each clump a story
hair on the barber shop floor
all swept together

Their crisp outlines shine

Their crisp outlines shine
speckled with solid water
as air and time freeze

Midnight is not dark

Midnight is not dark
light travels across my yard
night is polluted

It looks like a bunch

It looks like a bunch
mugwort leaves tied together
to make a smudge stick

Eating on nettle

Eating on nettle
the hungry caterpillar
before getting flicked

Only humans see

Only humans see
a boundary to the yard
for birds it's a perch

The frost on the leaves

The frost on the leaves
gives the eye a sense of touch
outlining contours

Awoke from a dream

Awoke from a dream
attempting to cook a meal
knowing it would fail

The trees on my street

The trees on my street
standing naked in the fog
as night turns to day

The growl of the wind

The growl of the wind
as gusts navigate objects
I relate to this