Waiting – A poem

As Australians, we are all helping, hoping and praying that the fires will end, our fellow Aussies will be safe and our beautiful animals will escape or be cared for by carers, animal welfare organisations or by kind people who find them. There are so many stories breaking our hearts.

I wrote the poem below in 2009.

We all need to be vigilant, make sure we clear the piles of dry leaves and debris from around our homes and be aware of what is happening about us, even in the leafy suburbs.

 

Waiting

 

It’s one of those waiting mornings ~

there’s a feeling

like something is

about to happen

and we, who live in this

unique place

hope that today

will not be a day when we

smell smoke

hear sirens

or have to start our fire pump.

The birds were up

earlier than usual

made more noise,

seemed to be warning us . . .

that today could be different.

A dragonfly drifts by

slowly at first, before making

staccato movements

backwards and forwards

up and down.

The white cockies are flying low

and still screeching ~

longer than usual

searching maybe for somewhere to rest

a cool, safe spot to hide from the day.

If the air was water

right now it would be a mill pond.

There’s not a movement ~

still trees, still leaves

stock-still branches.

Cicadas come

to interrupt the peace

and other insects

buzz . . .

flutter-wing by.

And now, from a paint-brush perfect sky

a morning-gentle-sun wakes

and plays on the leaves.

She throws shadows on the trunk of a gigantic gum

and I wait

and wonder

and hope that today

will not be a day when we

smell smoke

hear sirens

or have to start our fire pump.