It is with regret that I realise my prophecy will not be believed it is with sadness that I see a world of unwanted hurt cannot be relieved into the apocalypse will fall one and all for want of not heeding my call
it is not for a lack of frequency that my message remains unreceived it is not for a deficit of clarity my warning languishes ill perceived
for none can learn from the evidence when there are none who wish to hear who from convenient comfort will attend to tales of turbulent doom as it draws near? who has the power to break the apathy of masses when the masses will not act on their fear?
and who will take the time to reflect after the dismal impact, who will shed a tear?
State Library Underground Railway Station, Melbourne, Victoria
As I travel around the city I contemplate something true people are all doing something seeing myriad projects through
every choice they make a decision to copy or find something new in working separately or together they are constantly stirring the city’s creative brew
It is the rugged mountain landscape that reflects my heart from great heights I watch over every part the pinnacles are the summit of my aspiration valleys are where I pause for consideration and revelation water scoured gullies have carved their scars onto my soul but the long deep range sustains and heals my whole
open rolling plains broad flat and wide are where the scope of my vision emerges from inside where I can see from horizon to horizon nothing impedes my hopes here my future can be spun from each creature or blade each single tree or forest I absorb the beauty of each day each morning and evening sun watching and observing for new opportunities to enlist
along waterways I explore the wilder places I adore where raging tempest or placid calm invoke irrepressible desires for more like the fluid medium within me water of my life clean water fills all empty spaces with relief and ocean depths teem with the origins of my genes where all futures were created as a multiverse of dreams
This week the dVerse poetics prompt from Dora was to incorporate a landscape or cityscape into your poetry that either mirrors or amplifies your interior landscape (or lack thereof).
We recently had to evacuate three generations of our family from three households across northern and central Victoria. Due to multiple and extensive bushfires, we watched with anxiety as they flared and ebbed and flared again towards our various homes. Fortunately, we all returned to intact houses. Many were not so lucky.
As the climate situation gets worse, with every New Summer we feel the new fear rise again.
All work is my own and you can share it as much as you like.
The last time I saw my mother she sent me a kiss across the void. Two fingers touched her puckered lips, then cast into the air was a kiss at the mercy of the stiff breeze blowing everyone’s hats away. Was I meant to catch it? I have never really been sure. One reason was it appeared to be barely cast in my direction, the other was that she was in fact looking at her new husband as her hand regally flicked yet another token on another impossible journey of placation. She, number three plus stupid yappy little dog were on a boat to somewhere. Ten year old me? I was left standing on the dock unaware somewhere meant this was our last almost acknowledgement of each other. One thing I learnt that day to believe forever is lips forget what they have kissed.
For today’s dVerse 144 word prosery challenge, Mish chose the following line from Toni Morrison’s evocative poem, “Eve Remembering”. “Lips forget what they have kissed.” Besides writing eleven novels, five children’s books, two plays and an opera, Toni was the author of “Five Poems“, first published in 2002. You can read them here (well worth a read). I chose to respond to the challenge with a work of flash fiction that hits the 144 word sweet spot precisely.
I met a hungry echidna with spiky spines all over I’m not kiddin’ ya it flicked its tongue from its beak for the ants it did seek you thought I was kiddin ya, didn’t ya?
Half an hour one forty eighth of each day should be consistently allocated to the following practice should be consistently adhered to at the expense of all other things the undertaking of regular exercise no matter what your age this is a good use of your time such that the time that is left to you may well be longer
poetography.ink 