First Bite: An Autumn Triparshva (Side 3)

As side 3 plays, First Bite spins to a close. Massive thanks to Julie, Cindy and Ashley for taking the leap with me… am already excited about the shape our next project may take.

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

last piece of the puzzle
her body nestled
against mine

CK

*

bare foot in the kitchen
her teeth chatter la cucaracha

JB

*

the record spins
gathering blues
at dawn

GN

*

warmth kicks in
the womb

AM

*

first buds
appear under
her t-shirt

CK

*

lips on the wine glass
blooming red

JB

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First Bite: An Autumn Triparshva (Side 2)

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

nightfall
grandfather’s stories flicker
in the flames

GN

*

we observe the animal
spines unusually fluid

AM

*

the dam
in full bloom
he feels no pulse

CK

*

sunburnt skin and sweat
beneath him

JB

*

not wanting
to show my heart
this first morning

GN

*

she tries too hard
with bar stool French

AM

*

on the second bottle
a surge
of waves

CK

*

a long walk home
breathing steam into her v neck

JB

*

still cold —
the moon lengthens
my stride

GN

*

a child could measure
and die, like the leaves

AM

First Bite: An Autumn Triparshva

While I have been leading the summer ginko group through their marvellous Snake Weather, I have also been taking part in our Autumn collaborative poem, this time with Ashley Martin, Cindy Keong and Julie Beveridge. To mix things up a little, we decided to write a Triparshva. Enjoy this first bite…

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

the first bite
of autumn
red apples

CK

*

seasoning the pie
it’s raining again

JB

*

a koel calls
we slip into
each other

GN

*

armed with pillows
I like your shadow

AM

*

hide and seek
the moon wears
a golden halo

CK

*

in keeping with tradition
we pray hand in hand

JB

Downfall Creek Ginko

                                                               broken silence
                                                               the fall of one
                                                               golden leaf

                                                                            *

                                                               gentle breeze
                                                               the crackle of gum leaves
                                                               across the boardwalk

                                                                            *

                                                               shady fig
                                                               the silence
                                                               of empty nests

                                                                              — Lee-Anne Davie

                                                                Melaleuca
                                                                again an unseen bird
                                                                cries your name

                                                                            *

                                                                wetland pool
                                                                turns my mind
                                                                to tea

                                                                            *

                                                                Easter Saturday
                                                                a family barbecue
                                                                amuses the kookaburras

                                                                              — Trudie Murrell

                                                                  thin path
                                                                  the strangler fig tightens
                                                                  its grip

                                                                            *

                                                                 forest entrance
                                                                 lorikeets race
                                                                 against the traffic

                                                                            *

                                                                 choosing a path
                                                                 ants travel straight ahead

                                                                              — Cindy Keong

                                                                  no breeze
                                                                  grass moves
                                                                  to the rhythm of butterflies

                                                                            *

                                                                  in the creek
                                                                  moss and rust
                                                                  years apart

                                                                            *

                                                                  back to read another page
                                                                  copper-bottomed ant

                                                                               — John Wainwright

                                                                            *

                                                                              all photographs by Cindy Keong

New Farm Park Ginko: Jonathan Hadwen & Cindy Keong

                                                          grandfather’s roses
                                                          a spot growing
                                                          on each leaf

                                                                         *

                                                          family barbeque
                                                          teenager texts
                                                          from a separate bench

                                                                         *

                                                         wedding in the park
                                                         only half
                                                         a string quartet

                                                                        *

                                                         dishwasher can’t clean
                                                         the lipstick from the glass
                                                         things you left behind

                                                                        *

                                                         garden bare of flowers
                                                         one curling leaf

                                                                        *

                                                                         poems by Jonathan Hadwen
                                                                         photograph by Cindy Keong

 

                                                                at the edge of
                                                                the rose bed
                                                                lavender stalks

                                                                            *

                                                                roses in full bloom
                                                                the bride sucks
                                                                in her belly

                                                                             *

                                                                crowded park
                                                                two plover’s
                                                                clear a space

                                                                             *

                                                                 play date
                                                                 dogs teach their owners
                                                                 how to fetch

                                                                             *

                                                                  blisters of burnt paint
                                                                  the summerhouse gone

                                                                              *

                                                                             photograph & poems by Cindy Keong

Sandgate Ginko: Cindy Keong

On Sunday the QWC ginko group headed over to Sandgate, a sleepy little coastal town on the outskirts of Brisbane. And although we are yet to see much sun on either of our ginko, there were some superb haiku written. During the week I plan to feature poems from each of the group members, starting with Sandgate local, Cindy Keong.

                                                                  autumn haze
                                                                  cargo ships
                                                                  ghost the horizon

                                                                               *

                                             kite surfers skip across cloudy skies

                                                                               *

                                                                  one seagull
                                                                  finds company
                                                                  in the still water

                                                                              *

                                                                  breaking waves
                                                                  my thoughts
                                                                  tumble over

                                                                              *

Cindy is the feature poet at tomorrow night’s The Back Room event at Confit Bistro (4/9 Doggett St, Fortitude Valley) and will also debut an exhibition of her photography. If you are in Brisbane, come along… doors open at 6pm!

Brisbane River Ginko II

Sunday is quickly rolling around… so before we hit the shores of Sandgate, here’s a handful of haiku from our Brisbane River Ginko from the ‘three Johns’ of the group.

                                                               ferry wake
                                                               the river
                                                               speaks up

                                                               cello lessons
                                                               under the paper-bark
                                                               days lengthen

                                                       John Wainwright

 
 
                               baby grasshopper on my page
                               this autumn morning
                               it will learn to fly

                               reading Issa
                               I kill my first moth

                               a row of ducks in the rain
                               even the hermit
                               must smile

                              Jonathan Hadwen

 
 
                                                             full moon
                                                             the river rises
                                                             with my anxiety

                                                             autumn river
                                                             a leaf takes
                                                             its final voyage

                                                     John Koenig

 

Cindy Keong has also posted two new haiku on her site and they are well worth the click! And while I am mentioning Cindy’s work, here’s a few photos of Sandgate for those who haven’t had the pleasure. Let’s hope the weather holds…