it’s a cat conspiracy

 .

there’s one in the shop window

who makes eyes at my family

 .

they toss the idea of him into conversations

and I hiss like a hot wok dad’s-joke

to move on

 .

the manipulation of cute

how could you deprive them

 .

a conspiracy of retracted calls can we pleeeease

has stretched in the kitchen for two years now

maybe it’s time

 .

I move us all back to that country I love 

where cats are delicious

 .

.

.

Go on, send me angry mail. I’ll eat it all.

note: nothing was harmed in the making of this poem

your skateboard is

.

a suitcase-seat

spare legs, the only teacher

you didn’t answer back

.

hold it like a travelling guitar

drop-in to forget

this morning’s words

grind across steel coping

.

fly

.

let it land you

always in the middle

of now

.

friar bird (haiku)

.

a friar bird in the banksia
on her phone again

.

.

.

.

For those not familiar with the friar bird’s chatter here ’tis:

run around renku

Turning Japanese lately with the traditional form of renga or renku. Yes, it’s related to haiku. It’s a collaborative series of linked verse. Here’s part of a summer renga I wrote with jDub which we performed at Speedpoets last Saturday. Enjoy!

 

I’ve been writing with a bunch of other Brisbane poets in a renku called ‘Snake Weather’ and the first three parts of the poem is over at Another lost shark. Check it out if you have a moment. ‘Snake Weather: part 1′  - ‘part 2′ - ‘part 3′ 

review of ‘That Zero Year’

Phillip Ellis recently posted a review of ‘That Zero Year‘. Click on over if you have a few minutes. This is my first publication and therefore my first review so I’m pretty stoked Phillip has sat with our poems long enough to write about the collection and collaboration.  Here’s a bit from his review:

—

The nature of this language is uniform between both poets. It can be seen clearly via quotation; the following comes from the final half of “Routine in Grief”:

I sit and wait
for the spoon to drop

try to work out my answer
to the question
that will follow

The language of this poem (and the others) is a pared-back, quiet language. It makes no stylistic flourishes but, rather, sets out its narrative and situation with a minimum of ideolectical qualities. This language is simple, yet not simplistic, emotive yet not emoting, and the poems are all the stronger for this plain-speaking quality.

—

If you would like to buy a copy of your own. Please send me an email to: piedhilllprawns (at) gmail.com and I’ll send one to you. They’re a great gift for new mum’s and dad’s and for $10 super-affordable too.

on stilts

 

Those good people over at Stilts have featured Graham Nunn, a few of my friends and myself so if you have a moment click over there to check it all out.  Stilts

Make sure you check out Chloë Callistemon’s poems and have a listen to her read her piece [If we could speak between. Chloe

Here’s a link to my poems Wagtail and other poems

Have a great Friday.

haiku

too close
stand back from the road
little grey gum