 |
Jennifer Langley-Kemp 4 Poems |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Jennifer Langley-Kemp © Copyright 2001 - Special guest poet at Poet-tree with 'Dry Season' a highly commended winning poem in the Trudy Graham Literary Awards 2000 |
 |
| Dry Season In dry seasons rain is a distant rumble every drop of water a libation sparingly poured. Crows circle overhead tank rings send hollow information. Each day a shared kettle - face and hands first, then feet and last the green patch by the door geranium and bamboo, pig-face and jade tough plants to gentle the eye before the wider sweep of brown and dust devils dervishing the fence line. Finally, the break drumming the iron roof, filling the rings but still we ration. Summer is always too near - the shrinking green by the door, a rustle of bamboos and overhead the slow circling of crows. |
| Icarus Descending I would remember you with love but, caught in the down-rush, scaled by melting wax I can only remember your face rushing out of focus and the swiftly tilting earth |
| Leaves I remember you raking leaves. Heaping summer parchment, patterning the air with smoke. Today an easterly stripped the summer trees. Holding your rake I remember those broad strokes, see the bend and lift of your shoulders, the sweep and rustle of leaves and taste them acrid on my tongue. |
| Day Out 1. At the playground a balancing granny keeps up with the new generation On the grass Monday children wait in uniform groups for lunch and crows swoop in for crusts. 2. We’re almost at the top of the spiral lookout when a runner - heart beat up, skin glistening charges past He is not wanting this view. 3. She lectures on habitat and we follow away from formal gardens California and South Africa Only a few introduced species now reminding us of colonization: freesias, watsonias, bridal creeper the inevitable dandelion Then clumps of bush orchids Colonies, she tells us We remember gathering by the handful and mourn over diminished species 4. We keep walking Surely in the right direction until a break in the trees highway noise - the kiosk promising lunch 5. We visit a sick friend He opens drugged eyes A visitation, he murmurs We smile wanting to share our day: the birds, the Californian poppies, the giant proteas, the fitness freak Our presence is enough. |