May 9
Breakfast
morning rains
the facades of buildings
reflect in sandy concrete
that borders the tram tracks
nothing clear
just squiggles of colour you can identify
as the residue of light
from the subway across the road
or leisure electrical discounts
or the shop without a name
just a ‘sale’ sign
I watch the owner gadding about in there
what sort of a life is that?
retail?
selling stuff day in day out
getting your products set up right
arranging ,dusting, fishing and fussing
appearance IS everything
it’s hard to actually tell what they’re selling
it seems to be ladies apparel
with a south American theme
behind me in the shop
a customer rolls in
saying he’s going “down to Geelong”
to watch the footy
and “please a few of your finest pies”
“no it doesn’t start ’til two,
but it’s a bit of a way to go”
Oh and a few of your finest bread rolls
He’s a jolly fellow
they seem to know him
there’s a lot of bantering
I can’t see him as this goes on
but as he leaves I note he has thick set tree trunk legs
and a neck that’s missing
but he seems happy with everything
good on him
The radio keeps playing in the background
‘classic hits ‘ I think it is
maybe it’s playing it’s a long way there
‘it’s along way to where I’m going’
it merges with the sounds of bacon frying
cupboard doors opening and closing
and the deep fried hiss of car tyres on the wet street
The hot tsunami of tea washes over my tongue
removing the taste of the smoky bacon
replacing it with something more bland
a strong contrast in flavour
I look out to see a man carrying his shaggy dog
‘that looks like it’s had enough of the rain

Removalists
removals truck
with an orange witches hat
is parked in the street
two men are going up stairs
they carry a kitchen table
part of somebodies life
hope that they’re respectful
a whole life is being moved here
to make it happen somebody had to move out
somenaody ahd to make a decision
moving house can be a hard thing

Out of season
Went to the supermarket to buy strawberries
but they’re out of season
went to a night club looking for a reason
but didn’t find any
there was no reason there
was I out of season?
If you want it it’s got to be imported

Autumn walk
Autumn colours on Perth
sun shining on my face
feels like I’m in toaster
or in front of a heater
on a winters afternoon
autumn leaves on ground
-like tiny balloons
blown up by god
contrasting against the black asphalt
on trees they look like teardrops
leaves are the teardops of trees
why would they be sad?

Obsrevations
Tropical palms behind a facade of stone wall

Milk bar window a small rectangles of colour
pies/pasties/saussage rolls/hot dogs/tea /coffee/ milk shakes/ice creams/ sub-news/ groceries.
Each in there own rectangle in different colours from orangey yellow to aquamarine blue.

Woman in a SUV – opening a back door saying don’t cry in an angry way while she adjusts the buckle on a one year old.

Make up Job
woman at the lights across from me in her car
putting on make up , she had the brushes
the rollers and the blush
making sure she captures every crease and every lash
and every crack
I guess people are just so busy
that’s the best she can do
the way it’s got to be
who knows, maybe she had kids to drop off
or was late for an appointment
what does it say about our ‘busy’ lives – should they be?

Rain
Raining- misty – not solid somewhere between fog and mist
skin gets cold and prickly – head is being massage with flecks of rain

Level Crossing
A man is fixing the level crossing boom gates
the cover removed
showing the insides
wheels and levers in need of oil
he’s fixing something electrical
working away with a purposeful driver
working that screw
drilling it tighter
is he satisfied yet?
Maybe.
Nearly.
He goes to put the cover back on
but then has another assay
of the situation
undoes the screw
checks it twice
and then tightens it back
to the place where it was
slipping the threads
as he does
a train approaches,
the gates slice down
but this don’t affect him
there’s cogs and wheels
spinning and whirring
and he continues to attend to that screw
again finishing
and with a rag wiping
any sign of execess oil
or grease that he might have deposited
job done he picks up the casing
and sttes home the clips.
just as the train thunders past.