Recent poem: ‘Daydreams and Detour signs’
October 10, 2009
(i)
Three low-lying hills
mark the boundary of a realm;
a dark, cold lake of unknowable depth and beaten-metal surface
is ahead of me;
on an island in this lake,
an ancient tower suggests a history of wizards.
There are no dragons in the sky. Yet.
(ii)
I take a few steps backwards,
then look to my left side again: there are Detour signs,
construction-site notices on temporary metal fencing
and on the surviving patches of worn grass, some small dunes
of cement rubble, piled up by workers demolishing the familiar path.
Looks like it could be weeks before the fence is gone,
so I turn right and head towards a park and another realm
best seen in daydreams.
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The lake-shore footpaths and park areas in the centre of Canberra are great for daydreaming, especially during quieter late afternoons. The poem above is based on some notes made during a weekend-afternoon walk about a month ago.
