Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Tuesday Poem: Heaven


a bulldog called Angel is
outside the polling booth
and who is her owner?
someone called Fiona
gone in to tick the slip
say hi to the old lady
with the poorly hip, ask
after Jack who canned
out skating Rona Street
fold the slip, drop
it in the box – and that’s
it, except for this:

she walks into the bright
day, shading her eyes
and Angel is waiting 
a demented wiggle of white --
and off they go, the two
of them, side by side   
        perpetual
             around the bend
in the road

                        mary mccallum 


Another poem that's been around for awhile. I realised as I went to post it, that I've written something with a similar theme - which was posted here and on the Booksellers website - called How she holds her head. It's about my friend Christina at the carpark in Pak'n Save ...

arms swinging unhurried and wide   nothing in her hands but rings
no child
no wallet   no cell phone  not a damned thing
and a back so
straight and strong you knew it could   without any
trouble
support a pair of wings

Go figure.  And while you're working out why I see angels everywhere, go and check out the communal birthday poem at the Tuesday Poem hub. It's a fantastic creature written by 26 of us - line by line - over the week. It was so much fun to be part of and the end result is astonishing - no angels but lots of gods in that one. And then cast your eye to the sidebar with a whole host of wonderful poets from many countries - with their own poems and poems they love. Worth a visit for sure - and while you're there have a piece of cake. 
        

7 comments:

Jim Murdoch said...

This poem has a nice soundscape - lots of interesting internal rhymes - and one of the best descriptions of a dog I've read in ages: "a demented wiggle of white." Nicely done.

AJ Ponder said...

A lovely ending, the shape - everything - perfect, and of course, the delightful wiggle :). It's a shame it's fallen off the hub, gods and angels are so untrustworthy.

Claire G said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Claire G said...

Another wonderful poem. I know you relish the community and feedback that you receive here and with the Tuesday Poems, but are you also considering a printed collection?

Susan Pearce said...

Congratulations on your first place win, Mary! Which poems did you enter? (For those who haven't yet seen: the Caselberg Trust Poetry Prize).

Mary McCallum said...

Thanks Susan, you were quick off the mark. I entered 'After Reading Auden' which will be published in Landfall and which careful googling might reveal on my blog...

Mary McCallum said...

Claire - What a lovely thing to ask. Yes, I would like to have a printed collection, but I have only started thinking of one this past year with the stimulating Tuesday Poem community encouraging me to write or hone a poem a week. The Caselberg Prize really helps in terms of encouragement to try....