Murky Air

13/11/2020 – Poem a Day Compilation



The air is murky today

It hangs heavy in the atmosphere

Cloying

But not sweet like spring should be



The dread of summer has come early

Much earlier than last year

I can smell the smoke

It’s too far to see just yet



But there’s a darkness around me

Despite the clear skies overhead

I can feel the rain in my soul

Long before it falls on the ground



It won’t come soon enough

The trees will turn black before then

Their leaves gone

The bush unrecognisable



My sweat and tears won’t help

And the tanks are bone dry

The winter rains few and far between

For too many years now



The gutters have been cleared

The ladder still propped up

Idling beside the house

Just in case we need it



You wouldn’t think there’d be anything left

When we’ve suffered through this

Less than twelve months ago

And it nearly broke us, then



We pray for clouds that won’t come

To a god that doesn’t exist

Because it’s all we can do

When hell arrives at your door



I can hear the sirens blaring

Roaring down the road

Trying to get ahead of the front

Before it jumps the river



We call it a river

It’s not even been a trickle lately

The animals have moved on

They’re smarter than us



Last year it was licking at our fence

Embers drifting on the hot breeze

The air thick with smoke and fear

And sheer desperation



I don’t remember what we did

If we manned a hose

Or beat out spot fires

With tattered hessian sacks



I do remember some things

Things no one should remember

Things that are seared into my brain

And that I can’t drown out



I remember what charred kangaroo looks like

Teeth showing through melted flesh

Fur all but gone

Not being brave enough to check pouches



I remember the sound of exploding gas tanks

From cars we couldn’t get to

That couldn’t save us

From the descending inferno



I remember the crackling

As branches were consumed

By an ever-hungry beast

That refused to be tamed



And I remember the whites of the eyes

Behind soot stained masks

Of men and women

Who stared down death and won



But memories won’t spare us now

As a thousand freight trains bear down

With a ferocity you can feel before you hear

And hear before you can see



I’d give anything right now

For this murky air to be a summer storm

Dumping gallons of glorious water

On parched fields and paddocks



What I wouldn’t give

For that grey creeping over the horizon

To not be filled with nightmares

But bringing with it salvation



Maybe this year won’t be as bad

Maybe me heart won’t break again

Because I know I can’t keep this up

When old scars haven’t healed

How to Survive a Pandemic

27/06/2020 –  Poem a Day Compilation

It has come to my attention

That some people just don’t know

How to survive a pandemic

So here it is, blow by blow.

 

Stay inside your house.

It’s really very easy.

You avoid most of the germs in there

And don’t end up all queasy.

 

If you need to do the groceries

There are two ways to do this task.

Get it home delivered or,

When going out, wear a mask.

 

Wash your hands regularly

And sanitise everything you touch

It might seem overwhelming

But it’s really not that much.

 

Don’t hug or kiss or even high five

When friends you chance to meet.

Wave or bump your elbows,

Or simply tap feet to feet.

 

Don’t gather in large groups

Especially in small spaces;

Keep your distance from each other,

Maintain at least three paces.

 

Get your restaurant meals delivered

To help them through this mess

But don’t forget to wipe the packaging

It will help to spread it less.

 

If you can arrange it with your employer

Working from home’s a great idea,

With teleconferencing taking off

Just remember to hide the beer.

 

It may seem very stressful

To have the kids home-schooling, too,

But everyone is in the same boat

And it’s never only you.

 

If you’re deemed to be essential

And have to go to work

Be mindful of those around you

And don’t act like a jerk.

 

Your colleagues want to do what’s right

To keep the community safe and sound.

We all need to do our bit

To stop this virus getting round.

 

Be kind to yourself right now,

The whole world is upside down.

It’s ok to have a day (a week!)

When you can’t manage but a frown.

 

It’s hard to be apart from loved ones

Especially in times this tough,

When you can’t attend weddings or birthdays,

And funerals from afar are rough.

 

Not being allowed at the bedside,

Not being allowed to say goodbye,

Means closure is never granted

And you can’t halt the tears you cry.

 

The best you can do is continue,

To carry on in spite of it all,

Because whatever we do isn’t perfect

And no one knows who will fall.

 

But continuing doesn’t mean ignoring,

We can’t just make it all disappear.

When we open our eyes it’s still present

And it’s hard to not live in fear.

 

That fear can keep us all safe,

As long as we don’t let it take control.

Knowing our internal boundaries

Will keep our mind on the goal.

 

All those things that you’ve been missing,

Like sports and social things,

Will still be there afterwards –

We know what the future brings.

 

If you’re stood down from your work

And the money won’t stretch very far,

Don’t worry that you let things go

Or how low you set the bar.

 

You don’t need to write a novel

Or learn a circus act

As long as you’re taking care of you

And that’s a goddamn fact.

 

When things start to open up

Don’t rejoice to much at first,

We don’t want a second wave

And feel again like we’ve been cursed.

 

Take it slowly when going out,

Keep that distance going strong,

And we’ll be through the worst of it

Before very long.

 

If your government is being slack

About putting measurements in place

Then take it upon yourself to learn

What to do to win this race.

 

It can be difficult to look around

And see other countries do so well

But you can what you need to do

To help the numbers not to swell.

 

If you listen to the experts

You’ll certainly minimise the chance

Of picking up or spreading it

While sitting at home with no pants.

 

When symptoms come upon you

Isolate yourself at home

And don’t let another soul

In your bubble or your dome.

 

If you need to attend the hospital

Don’t spread it as you go.

Wear your mask over your mouth and nose

To protect even your greatest foe.

 

These times are the hardest

That many of us have known

It’s completely changed how we live

And it can be easy to bitch and moan.

 

But we’re not being asked to go to war

We’re being asked to sit on the couch

And watch the TV all day long,

To act just like a slouch.

 

So, put on your comfy pyjamas,

Pick up that book you planned to read

But never had the time to start

Because you always had a deadline to heed.

 

Learn how to cook a meal

(I hear sour dough is all the rage)

Or start a new online course

With which you can engage.

 

And if none of that takes your fancy

Just do what makes you happy,

Even if it’s not exciting

And others think it’s sappy.

 

So, while my advice might seem simple

And not perfect by any means,

It will help you battle on

Between the interminable cleans.

 

And, yes, we will see cases

Including those we know and love

But we can reduce the likelihood

And we can rise above.

 

For me, I have been writing,

Including the words upon this page

While I have been off from work

And not drawing my usual wage.

 

In a perfect world I would not return

To my life as it was before

Because I have enjoyed the shutdown

And haven’t found it a bore.

 

But I hope you all find your inner peace

And can cope with these harsh times

Which have hit some harder than others

Without any reasons or rhymes.

 

And if you need a friendly ear to listen,

Please reach out if you can.

We are all in this together,

Every woman, child and man.