Defiance

 * A Point in Time *

6

Defiance

Clang and twang of festive notes

Jiving pots and pans

Sizzling fish in oily woks

Water lapped and licked in sink

Hushed in a corner

The little one and her ragged doll

in deep slumber

like lovers in defiance.

Going Home

 * A Point in Time *

5

Going Home

Fingers-stretched of bare branches

Intertwined, hovered hauntingly,

The distant howl of a lone dog

like snake gliding,

Silently stared a lizard – 

an eye over the mossy stone,

The path yawned, was lost,

A dim-lit moon … a distant call

I trod steadily home.

When It was Cloud Maiden

 * A Point in Time *

4

When It was Cloud Maiden

Little Cloud Maiden

Soft and gentle

Tiny hands in clasp

Tiny feet curled

Cradled warm in bed.

 Wind blows loud

Trees are bare

All is quiet and cold

But, little Cloud Maiden,

Winter soon will give way

to spring

For you little Cloud Maiden

All will be flowers soon

All will be sun again

Cheeky chirping birds

Calling awake

Your merry little self

Grow, little Cloud Maiden

Grow gentle and sweet

Grow with the flowers

Grow with love.

*Sydney, July 1981

Only the Night and Us

 * A Point in Time *

3

Only the Night and Us

Only the night and us

Only our breath

Only our slither

We explored

We meandered

We twisted and coiled

Moon halo

Burning chase

Raw mystique

Like midnight creatures

to the murmurs

and snuggle of the night.

A Time in Maastricht

 * A Point in Time *

2

A Time in Maastricht

I welcomed the numbing cold

As I burrowed into your warmth

crossing the cobbled bridge

The hot sausage spurted warmth

As I licked it off your lips.

The Salt of Pain

 * A Point in Time *

1

The Salt of Pain

I tasted the salt of pain

How it

shrieked and shrilled

through the veins

The eyes see no form

The ears hear no tone

Pain was a cold body

drenched in sweat.

And you said

that you have

eaten more rice

than I have

tasted salt.

My pain

is temporal.

Living the Real Life

 * When I Falter *

10

Living the Real Life

What’s the real life?

It’s living the truth

None can maim the truth

None can change the truth

When you live the truth

You live the real life

And the truth is not a lie

And you do not live a lie.

Choice

 * When I Falter *

9

Choice

I

Years that gave so much

and so much taken too

Roads I boldly took

Roads I refused to leave

Ignorance and pride

Lodged in cement

of convictions

II

Time of triumph

when there was no applause

Still I have been proud

Time of mind and passion locked

The only regret

It was all too soon gone

Time of the hearts

The only game played

Only for love and the other

Time of right and wrong

Says everyone, it was wrong

I refused to be wrong

Time of shadows

When I forgot to care

Leaving only tears

III

I plod on

Praying to be right

Praying to be safe

Weighed on, by

Wreaths of woe

Garlands of mirth, too

Rules of life

The only strength

was from within

IV

And so I was then

And so I am now

A choice

A decision.