Net Curtains and Chauser’s Adjectives

Beautiful, picturesque, charming, pleasant,

delightful, sunny Cotton Tree whose tide

flows out exposing creamy sand flats as

pelicans preen themselves in readiness for spring

and cormorants steal the fish off the end of your line.

I feel immediately refreshed, exhilarated,

rejuvenated, revived and stimulated,

as I sit down to take in its

natural beauty, to wonder on the

magical nature of this great country.

It is a poet’s delight, Chaucer would

be in ecstasy as he breathes in the fresh air

tinged with rolled tobacco cigarettes.

Three not so eager fishermen,

non casting their lure,

hands are busy rolling the next lung buster.

But nothing could disturb my mood.

They look like nice fellows, like a trio of

likely lads who would regale you in

conversation at the surf club bar.

Each one is puffing in unison

as though there is safety in numbers.

I puff, you puff, we all puff together.

I imagine their lungs and they remind me of my

mum’s net curtains and their cough of my long

gone not so old teacher who would

also regale you with wit and repartee.

Beautiful, picturesque, charming, pleasant,

delightful, sunny Cotton Tree where I feel

immediately refreshed, exhilarated,

rejuvenated, revived and stimulated.

Not Here, But Everywhere

You are not here, there is a

distinct lack of your physical self

in this home, in this bed and in my life,

but this house has you in every corner,

on every chair, in all places at all times,

even in my tool cupboard.

I see you at the computer,

in the kitchen dancing to Michael Buble,

I see you cuddle and kiss the children

and pick up their things from the floor.

You are in Bali painting Steiner's colours,

but you are here reminding me at

every turn that you are my wife, my twin, my ghost

I feed the dogs standing to count the stars

looking back at our home watching you

in the children's area tidying up their

enthusiastic mess, curling your hair

around your ear as you bend to rescue

Little Leo from the clutches of Shredder

I do not miss you because you are

in the faces of our children

and in all the subtle nuances in my life

as all my subtleties stem from you.

But now I go to sleep and

I want to feel your warmth,

so come home safe to me

and fill this house with you.