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

The Crow: A Summer Renga (part vi)

With this sixth part of our renga, ‘The Crow’ has come to an end. It has been a thrill as always working with Ashley and Cindy; already we are planning an Autumn renga, so watch this space over the coming weeks. For now, enjoy the final flight of The Crow.

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

tissues pile up
every branch
stripped bare

*

face to face
with the wind

*

genealogy is all
you sleep in
a rented suit

*

unworn for years
this memory

*

clouds pass
the confused heads
of sunflowers

*

paperboy on your starlit route
the dark turning into birds

The Crow: A Summer Renga (part v)

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

*

funeral procession
seeing more
of my mother

*

flamenco
with his ghost

*

mist rises
the sound of our
shadows touching

*

arm to arm
my son’s first steps

*

at the border
a crooked finger
fear of frost

*

letter from home
cracked on the fold line

The Crow: A Summer Renga (part iv)

[photograph by Cindy Keong]

*

drunk again
the blush of
bougainvillea

*

that we might have
bigger fires

*

Australian quality
stainless steel legs
on the lawn swan

*

so deceptive
the neighbour’s manicured nails

*

deaccelerate
as a gymnast slips
wetly off the bar

*

sun warmed
the orphaned nestling

The Crow: A Summer Renga (part iii)

[photograph by Ashley Martin]

*

milky saucer
cat’s got
your ebbing tongue

*

again…
the pond turns silver

*

rear view mirror
leaving town
at the lights

*

half a palace you bragged
our names in glyph

*

looking around
to ensure no one sees –
naked ladies

*

the gardener’s
toothless grin