It’s the hardest part

It’s the hardest part
putting on your running shoes
to start exercise 

Curious spirit

Curious spirit
nothing worthwhile is easy
cultivate your joy 

Don't doubt this message

Don't doubt this message
you're perfectly imperfect
just the way you are

Detectives of texts

Detectives of texts
literary critics know
words will shape our thoughts
 

Turning over soil

Turning over soil
the farmer begins to cry
earthworms once lived here 

Eyes open again

Eyes open again
visions of days that were not
dreaming leaves me tired

Fadeouts will happen

Fadeouts will happen
everything is a sunset
light will rise elsewhere 

While sunlight heals wounds

While sunlight heals wounds
deeper scratches need to close
raw meat scares new friends 

It’s hard to let go

It’s hard to let go
some memories of people
they’re not who they were

My brother at home

Mixing his music
his personal discotheque
my brother at home

Sharp exhalation

Sharp exhalation
sliding into a hot bath
worries wash away 

In my dreams a home

In my dreams a home
dandelions grow from concrete
nature finds a way

Between dark rain clouds

Between dark rain clouds
streaking across sunlit trees
shadows are flying

Surplus bone in bed

Surplus bone in bed
elbows can spoil a moment
yet they're soft inside

Damp gardens oozing

Damp gardens oozing
night blossoms perfume cool air
as dusk throws shadows 

Neighbourhood noises

Neighbourhood noises
so many unhappy dogs
owned by mean people 

The old cat and I

The old cat and I
we understand each other
he runs from my yard

NASA research shows

NASA research shows
mysterious light sources
equal all known light 

Fossicking for gold

Fossicking for gold
forcing nuggets together
creating value

My conversation

My conversation 
a litany of madness
talking with myself

Hot and windy day

Hot and windy day
summer is starting early
hayfever persists

My home is a mess

My home is a mess
life is no tidy affair
homes are for living 

Not saying I'm god

"Not saying I'm god
but has anyone seen god
and me together?" 

Barren patch of earth

Barren patch of earth
frequented by the sparrows
enjoying dust baths 

As the reeds each move

As the reeds each move
one by one while a bird shifts
camera ready
 

Solstice approaches

Solstice approaches
sunlight like warm harmonics
strange blooms beckon me 

I plan what to cook

I plan what to cook
consulting weather forecasts
as summer begins 

Let me put it here

Let me put it here
message to single parents
you do what you can 

Watching doctors work

Watching doctors work
seeing my child's discomfort
feeling conflicted 

Try to remember

Try to remember
my most important thinking
doesn’t need a screen 

Defying the wind

Defying the wind
butterflies circling around
dancing dervishes

Navigate details

Navigate details
complications mark our lives
no threads to follow

Recognise limits

Recognise limits
nothing is going to last
yet we fall in love 

Look all around you

Look all around you
behold those little insects
know they run the Earth 

First a cockatoo

First a cockatoo
then I hear a magpie's song
suspect a mimic 

A lesson to learn

A lesson to learn
when I think to hold my tongue
it's always too late 

Some disturbances

Some disturbances
work like weeding the compost
they aerate the heap 

On Wagga's lagoons

On Wagga's lagoons
lonely frogs call their lover
Gobbagombalin 

Sparrow at window

Sparrow at window
clutching onto the fly screen 
watching me watching

Trucks in the distance

Trucks in the distance
I woke to the sound of bees
the hum of traffic

Collected habits

Collected habits
one thing triggers another
routines mark my days 

They say "I love you"

They say "I love you"
yet all I can think about
please go brush your teeth

Blue clouds approaching

Blue clouds approaching
warm gusts blowing from the north
rumble of thunder

Musicians will know

Musicians will know
gear acquisition syndrome
it plagues me lately 

Want to know something?

Want to know something?
Cheeseburger-flavoured spring rolls
it's weird that they're real 

Observe and reflect

Observe and reflect
acknowledging my response
remaining detached

If you can’t be free

If you can’t be free
withdraw back into shadow
be a mystery

Comfort surrounds me

Comfort surrounds me
a life filled with abundance
domesticated 

On these thoughtless days

On these thoughtless days
can I please excuse myself
while prose lies elsewhere

I cooked hamburgers

I cooked hamburgers
that path has least resistance
my kids are happy

Now he's found a mate

Now he's found a mate
after weeks of melodies
this blackbird sings less

Morish savoury

Morish savoury
when salt and cocoa combine
delicious tingle

Showers washed the roads

Showers washed the roads
streetlights dance on them again
fresh air intoxicates 

Nesting now begins

Nesting now begins
birds pecking apart my chair
taking away threads 

Out riding last night

Out riding last night
clouds of bugs assaulted me
birds could have feasted 

I identify

I identify
"neutral gender expression"
I don't play that game

Watching canaries

Watching canaries
seemingly pause in mid-flight
catching their dinner 

Earthy tones taunt me

Earthy tones taunt me
lacking aniseed or nut
decaf coffee sucks 

A cold universe

A cold universe
dark, vast and indifferent
without containment

Vulnerable flesh

Vulnerable flesh
not coming out of my shell
impenetrable

Gathering dried weeds

Gathering dried weeds
carrying them in strong winds
sparrows build their nests 

Boundaries aren't walls

Boundaries aren't walls
boundaries are acts of love
the self transcends skin 

Twice as much rainfall

Twice as much rainfall
sees iris flowers budding
awaiting spring's bloom

Melancholy clouds

Melancholy clouds
romance of a rainy day
droplets tease senses 

Deep dive into dark

Deep dive into dark
make life inside your body
human submarine

However painful
I’m a sadist in that way
love the pain away 

Singing through the night

Singing through the night
with 'Nine in the afternoon'
three in the morning 

Zooming through details

Zooming through details
revisiting history
hearing an old friend 

This town I call home

This town I call home
punctuated by small steps
laps around the block 

Songs from the backyard

Songs from the backyard
all through the day and the night
blackbird melodies 

Reheated again

Reheated again
filled with leftovers
never-ending days

I'm attuned to growth

I'm attuned to growth
my garden looks radiant
woke to rain falling

With joy in my heart

With joy in my heart
all across the universe
my fingers will reach

The grass is growing

The grass is growing
this wet spring will be hectic
bought a lawnmower

Trust your beating heart

Trust your beating heart
know you are more than enough
winter winds will pass

Dreams of blue heron

Dreams of blue heron
hiding in Patterson's Curse
beside a full dam 

Is stealth mode engaged?

Is stealth mode engaged?
No one sees the stuff I post
I must be ninja 

All those masks we wear

All those masks we wear
the many stances copied
how would I know you

There's always something

There's always something
finding ideas isn't hard
commitment evades

It takes a moment

It takes a moment
then my eyes begin to see
hundreds of small blooms 

Seen crossing the road

Seen crossing the road
their dark shells reflecting light
giant cockroaches

They grow out of me

They grow out of me
all these different projects
it doesn't make sense

The truck driver grabbed

The truck driver grabbed
one fist of air from outside
one finger stood out

Birdsong intensifies

Birdsong intensifies
the equinox approaches
hayfever explodes

The sparrows called out

The sparrows called out
on the trampoline they swarmed
a honeyeater

Nettles in my yard

Nettles in my yard
bite my legs as I pass by
I'll bite them in pies 

Sun rising early

Sun rising early
blackbirds are singing new songs
as wattle blooms fall

Words make me aware

Words make me aware
how each syllable, each vowel
sketches a person

I wake with headaches

I wake with headaches
I sneeze and wheeze through the day
spring brings allergies

Each day circles round

Each day circles round
the story remains the same
exasperation

“Over here,” he chirped

“Over here,” he chirped
trying to lead me away
as I pass his nest

Nicknamed a ‘hoop’ snake

Nicknamed a ‘hoop’ snake
covered in circular lines
the bandy bandy

Orb weaver maybe?

Orb weaver maybe?
Hard to see the resemblance
Spider Orchid bloom

Surprises await

Surprises await
bushwalkers after spring rains
stars shine from the dirt

Under cypress pines

Under cypress pines
dusty fragrance surprises
chocolate lilies

I whistled at her

I whistled at her
she stopped and gave me a look
little friarbird

Edging on the path

Edging on the path
spiky leaves tingling my legs
stinging nettles grow

Waving from the ground

Waving from the ground
little hands sway with the breeze
pink fingers orchids 

Watching the garden

Watching the garden
movement from among the weeds
little lizards crawl

Sitting in the sun

Sitting in the sun
on the warm northerly breeze
floating spiders webs

Among yellow blooms

Among yellow blooms
western donkey orchids wait
for a fly to land