Tag: poetry

Growing

Pine forest at the National Arboretum, Canberra

Even life’s a slope

stay upright, and do what’s right 

and like pines you’ll thrive

Photo: Pine forest at the National Arboretum, Canberra

The companion

In that town of men
there lived this boy
slim and pale
though worthy of Yale
he was nice to everyone
family though he had none
walked his dog all arvo
a black spaniel so bravo
came from a slaughterhouse
became more like a spouse
bounding eagerly through the town
bearing his name tag like a crown
such was the dog’s devotion
to the boy whose only motion
was to share his milk and cookie
in rearing though he was a rookie
knew that two packs on supermarket haul
was the secret to a life without a brawl
the talk of town they remained for long
the lovable guide dog and its blind boy

Stay

Sunkissed trees near Lake Ginninderra, Canberra

Like dregs of coffee

in an empty pot—lingers

on trees, autumn sun.

Photo: Sunkissed trees near Lake Ginninderra, Canberra

Choices

Garbage bags are trash
and so are candy wrappers
delectable coffee k-cups are as well
oh, but wait—not the to-go cups

Bottled water’s plastic, mate
and less is more since it’s waste
but wine’s mine, and that’s fine
glass breathes better—now don’t you pine

Think lean, mean, and buy in bulk
for killing fields are war scenes
they’ll forever haunt as packages
the convenience buyers—those savages

Landfilling bags or recyclable tins
beans from scratch or scratched open lentils
is one friendlier, healthier than the other
questioning, my friend—it’s just the first step