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.
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