POEM

INTO THE LIGHT (2005)

My hands spread a landscape
across the still-warm car-hood;
assessing straight yellow
through neat squares to the harbour,
or black diamonds across green.

I follow the diamonds
to an eye-lashed viewpoint;
picture your hair kite-tailing
over a sea less innocent
than the light blue on paper;

In the fold of the page, a tidal-wave rises.

*

In the cool
underside of summer,
we wade the stream of last year’s leaves.

In the buzz of flies,
under heavy boots,
the satisfying snap of bones.

*

Ambushed, you crash behind me
through wires of bracken; black berries
with their pretty pink flowers scratch
soft leaves sting. With no compass
in the high sun, I charge forward

to a dead end. We back track
past your flash of doubt, camouflaged
by your quick smile. You find an arrow
on a post, I steal a glance at the map
then we fall

into the light.

(MS 2005)