Passing time

Photo of the sun setting in the horizon and a row of boats sailing on the ocean, as seen from the top of a hill.

Staring out at sea,
leaning on a wooden bench,
counting tiny sails.

Witches

photo of a row of traffic cones in the street — Traffic cones are often called “witches hats” in Australia and New Zealand

Little witches hats
scattered around our city—
conjurors at work.

Dying

Close up photo of dried ferns, still in the tree.

Shrinking in silence
fern curls up in the forest
alone in hospice

Ageing

close up photo of a frond of a fern, partly dried and shrivelled while the rest of the frond is lush and green

Those tiny grey hairs;
ancient ferns, shrivelling fronds,
gracefully ageing

Judgement

photo of a steep hill and trees growing diagonally on it

I clamber uphill;
raising judgmental eyebrows,
rolling their eyes—trees