Winter fragments

Patience

On the common they came on steadily,
The horses and their riders.
Beside the path we quiet stood,
As if after war,

And let them come,
And let them pass.
Dark and tireless they were,
They bent the day with grace.

Plane

Surry Hills in June,
The plane trees
Nearly naked now

But unashamed.
Happy to be
Stark beautiful

In their middle age,
Sanguine
In scant brown leaves.

Break

I remember sophistication:
My tall aunt Lucy in her
Lorgnette

Breaking off clean rows
Of chocolate: neat and
Daringly wrapped in foil,

Like prerecorded kisses
You had to tear open
And press into yourself.

Inarticulate

She came to me in a dream,
Took off all her words
And wove them in a crown,

Pointed on my breast.
I was antique then,
A ruddy bear,

Slow and deathless.
Something growled
And bit her hard with silence.

Down

Before impact, unfasten your seat belt.
Sit erect and slow breathe across from me,
Share the fine blue stripes of your white dress.
Remember us.

Red

Straight down the street she ran,
Tearing into the wind, soccer hair
Bouncing neat and wild behind.
Pure red she was, fierce and happy,
Determined elbows rowing her
Away from mum, towards the team.