Shadowed gums and black swans

January 22

The shadowed gum tree droops, weeping into the lilac night.

January 23  

After all the procrastination and distraction, I finally sit and start. The words travel, from some place within, out through my finger tips onto the computer screen in an irregular but constant rhythm. Finally exhausted I lay down to sleep, the energy of the words and more words to come buzzing within.  

January 24  

The jagged city, dark and distant, backlit by the flaming orange veil of the setting sun.  

January 25  

From the dusk-lit lake, the brown down underbelly of the black swan, up-ended.  

January 26 

The endless row of dots and dashes mark the safe passage home.

View of Melbourne CBD at sunset from Hawthorn East, Melbourne, Australia

Another small stones catch-up from the park to heart art

January 16 - The Park 

Three day cut grass, littered with mottled, moth-eaten gum leaves turning from grass green to olive to patchy tan under the summer sun. The remnants of cut grass, clumped and drying. Scents of fresh compost. 

January 17 - Avocado 

The avocado with blackish brown rough crinkling skin, sliced vertically open around its round wood-like stone, reveals creamy flesh tinged pale lemon but mostly brown.  

January 18 - Heart Art  

At the bottom of my latte glass, the misshapen foamy heart art, swallowed smiling.  

January 19 - The Sky  

The thin blue sky, so high, so high.  

January 20 - The Devonshire Tea 

On a round white plate, two lemonade scones, warm, fluffy, imperfectly round, dusted with sweet icing sugar.  

To the right, home-made conserve, dark red, strewn with seeds and shrunken strawberries, sits plump in a small white round ceramic dish.  

To the left, double cream, thick, off-white, spiralling to a flattened peak, dolloped in an identical ceramic dish.  

All waiting to layer together.  

January 21 - Indulging 

Bright green, Sicilian, un-pitted olives; a slice of off-white ricotta cheese, fresh, soft and loose; slices of bocconcini oozing milky salt paired with bright red grape tomatoes sliced length ways drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with salt; chunks of octopus with bruised rings dotted with red chili; rustic bread sliced; golden white wine, its coldness condensing on the glass. Indulging favourites.  

The Park - Sidney Myer Music Bowl park, Melbourne, Australia

The Devonshire Tea, Sassafras Cafe, Sassafras, Victoria, Australia

Of summer and grief

A pale blue, almost cloudless sky and the warm kiss of the sun herald the welcome return of summer; 

a message received, informing loss and dear friends’ broken hearts, heralds a time of shared grief and mourning.

Small stone catch up

January 13 - Friendship 

Crunchy bread rolls 

coated in fine loose white flour 

dusts chins and 

sprinkles laps;  

constant conversation  

bubbles freely 

oblivious. 

January 14 - Family 

Smiling faces and arms anxious to embrace, a wandering gypsy is welcomed back into the familiar family fold.

Dusty black car

Dusty black car 

cob-web coated 

streaked and splattered with crumbling mud 

obediently fires 

and then gently hums 

as it emerges from hibernation 

Good-bye

As the plane rockets down the runway, sun-yellowed grass waves good-bye. 

Grey fog

Today 

autopilot takes control 

guiding each step, each movement, each breath 

The grey fog settles, wraps itself around 

cloaking beauty and joy 

It constricts and chokes forcing tears to tumble 

A howling sob  

lies stifled, aching to roar but repressed 

lest its leap leave only hollowness and cracked walls 

The Turtle

On the surface of the gently swelling sea 

a hawksbill turtle 

fills its lungs with air before diving 

diving deep and steep 

until it’s face to lens with an underwater videographer 

The Nudibranch

On a rock                                                                                                                                                    

13 metres                                                                                                                                                             

below the sea’s surface                                                                                                                                     

the soft slug-like nudibranch slithers                                                                                                                

slowly                                                                                                                                                               

with almost imperceptible movement                                                                                                          

except for the fluting of its flat-skirted body                                                                                                

                                                                                               

Nudibranch, Tulamben, Bali

Ribbons

Ribbons of  acqua light stream through the soft swelling sea

Andaman Sea, Phuket, Thailand 

On the way home

A motorbike carrying a family of four, mum, dad, one girl, one boy, chattering Thai and smiling, squished together back to chest.   

A utility truck with an even tower of black garbage bags full of rubbish and piled six high.       

And fireworks flowering pink and green above coconut palms in the midnight blue sky.                             

Fireworks at Naiharn Beach, New Years Eve, Phuket, Thailand

                        

Auburn Ants

Auburn ants                                                                                                                                                    

scurry                                                                                                                                                              

along the white painted rail                                                                                                                                  

Bumping as they meet                                                                                                                                    

their feelers touching                                                                                                                                                

communication passing                                                                                                                                         

Oblivious to the golden setting sun                                                                                                                       

Cotton wool clouds

Clumps of cotton wool clouds                                                                                                                         

Stretch across the sky                                                                                                                                      

A blanket of silver, white and grey                                                                                                                      

Never-ending                                                                                                                                                   

The Gap

The gap 

Between window and drape 

Reveals grey sky amplifying silver light 

And stillness 

The bamboo stands upright 

Stiff 

And elongated leaves hang 

Starched 

Peaceful tears

Tears drop
On the pillow plop
When they finally stop
Peace