Two Girls And A Swing

The metal links restrain, recycled rubber cushions
and the empty tanbark waits for summer
with the picnic bench on the grass. Her round,
bald head and cheeky chops are broken
by a smile that stretches her rosebud mouth
as far as it can go into joy
wide enough to eat the world
with only three teeth.
She flies through the air
pushed by her big sister who wears
a matching grin and a strand of fine,
brown hair over one eye. Her hands know
how to open and push while mine,
busy taking the photo,
want to grasp and never let go.

**

Come Out And Play

A yellow, metal watering can
is conversing with the tap,
the scooters are confiding in the wall.

Terracotta pots line the pavers
and jasmine twines the trellis
with a message from spring to cut

through the chill of early air.
Dawn is lit blue by clouds, turned
back towards winter with the rain

that has been drumming all morning
split, splat, splot on the plastic pergola
roof, calling me outside where

the earth smells like hope. I unfurl.

**

on the Ferny Creek trail

fly along the path
with wheels for wings
spin rubber on tar
heart, a bird
— sings

**

Summer Alive

sun kissed
skin
sting

wind whipped
hair
blind

rocks wrecked
feet
pierced

wave washed
body
wham!

burnt, messy
dirty, salty
breathless
here

**

Shimmer

a thousand tiny circles of light
dancing on the hanging leaves
of the tree
like tiny embroidered mirrors
on a silk sari
bending light from the rippled surface of the lake in summer

into a moment of heart’s quiet
the pause between breaths
thoughts shining like glistening golden rays
deep water
waves

**

all she left unsaid

words become birds
soaring lke kites
through a crying sky
swept by the wind
moments before speaking
as if the silence
lodged in your throat
is the measure
of your love
aching to be free

 —————–

Indrani Perera is a Melbourne poet, creator of The Poets’ Express e-mail newsletter, founder of The Pocketry Almanack print journal and host of the poetry podcast Pocketry Presents. She is the author of Promote Your Poetry and the poetry collections Defenestration and Pas De Deux published by Ginninderra Press. Her poetry has appeared in Cordite, More Than Melnanin, Not Very Quiet, Teesta Review (India) and The Crow and been anthologised by Geelong Writers Inc, Ginninderra Press and WA Poets Inc. You can find her at www.indraniperera.com and learn more about The Pocketry Almanack at www.pocketry.com.au.

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