It’s Monday afternoon.
I was to have been bustling,
Full of energy,
Purposeful,
With lists, maps, plans.
Stowing.
Folding.
Packing.
Now
The day drags on.
Silent inactivity fuels disappointment.
I would be collecting the hire car,
But the excitement is defused.
I hear the train pass without me.
Cheryl rang yesterday
Questioning my safety,
Anticipating my tourist-artist’s dissatisfaction,
Concerned about her responsibility for me.
She said,
The river is rising.
The forest is flooded,
Ankle-deep in mud,
Cold and wet.
Roads already impassable.
More rain in the high country.
I said,
Ok I give up.
I won’t come.
Bailed out.
But
What of the river?
Its swirling brown wetness inundating the forest,
Lapping against parched trunks of river red gums,
Silently infiltrating the beleaguered cumbungi,
Drowning weedy imposters,
Deeply penetrating the grey soil.
Dry doubts dispelled by long-forgotten abundance.
And the birds
Summoned by the widespread waters,
Singing in the glare of the morning light reflected off wet mirrors of floodwater.
In my absence.
When the danger is passed
I will go.
Sensibly.
In a few weeks I’ll be there with renewed vigour.
Freshly inspired by new plans in a muddy landscape.
Discovering unexpected creative possibilities,
Imagining the future, and
In awe of nature’s power to sustain.
Kerry MacAulay
6th September 2010
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4 comments:
Ahhhh, Kerry, a wonderful capture of your disappointment, your anticipation and your meta-view.
You tell the story, of the flood and of your own reaction, in the crisp organic spareness of poetry. Each stanza is its own little vignette, has its own mood and purpose.
I love the stanza, "What of the river?" - which draws you back into the real world. The images are wonderful, and lead energetically to the conclusion ("imagining the future...").
I could go on and on, pointing out how nicely I was led through the story. Perhaps the only constructive observation I have is that I was MOST engaged when you were painting a picture ("stowing, folding, packing..." and least engaged when you were defining ("but the excitement is defused").
I was very moved.
I agree with Heather. What a moving piece and so unexpected Kerry. I was thinking it would be a posting related to your thesis and studies.
But, what of the river? Perhaps there was a missed opportunity worth braving the danger and the elements for the sake of the art? Perhaps the flooding and the effects had a story to be captured?
Oh, the challenges of the artist.
This is very well written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Loved the format and the cahnge of pace through out. Great descriptions and I really got a sense of yourself in this as you took us through your thoughts. You paint a great picture with well chosen words.
Thank you.
Wow, you are so creative to just turn your hand to some poetry to tell of your disappointment. I thought you created the disappointment well and I loved your speculation of the forest in the rain. will it really be like this I wonder. Will this poem go into your thesis.
I really enjoyed this. Have a great trip.
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