It sparks into formation; an idea
Awake at night, she invests in it
Allows herself to fancy it
With sleepless excitement, she finds paper and pen
scribbles her intention
and brings it to life.
Man is his own Master
with an ego fit to consume, believes
it’s his for the taking
Crafts the world to his liking
and shapes the future
with present fortunes.
The preservation of self
and the pursuit of luxury
(carelessly, selfishly)
He lives in the moment:
self-indulgent and blasé
In this life, this existence
He rules like a King
and commands many things-
But the Sun,
The Sun is a Sure Thing:
and guaranteed to win,
Every time.
Cats on backs with saluting bellies
under the thrum of the cooler
Tiny bugs gather against the kitchen window,
window shopping.
A hallway fan distributing cool
Down the hallway
to westerly-facing bedroom
(or at least trying too)
Backup plan: clumsily dragged
the night before
to the vacant lounge room floor;
the spare mattress.
Mid-afternoon: a ferocious sky
Unrelenting.
Somewhere, not far-
Buzzing voltage cicadas: shi-shi-shi-shi
It happens before my eyes-
Browning lawn, curling leaves
while the roses sing, happily-
“Come at Me!”
Above: towering pine trees erupt
Screeching cockies- sounding outraged
Projectile missiles drop from every branch
and explode on impact.
The garden hose, this morning
bird bath freshly filled
for family enjoyment, the
Indian Myna and Maggies
in alternating shifts.
The roads quiet, melting bitumen
A neighbour’s car shimmers in the street
Deserted, a ready-oven:
Metal roof pops in the heat.
Back deck, tap dancing bare feet
I seek a small cast of shade
collect superfast superdry washing
Unceremoniously, rapidly, unpleasantly.
Hollow knock: an empty rasp
Give it a shake, listen-
the water tank with its
fast-disappearing lifeblood
evaporates out of existence.