here – the bellbird’s “pip”
there – overhead, a helicopter churns
nostrils flowering with eucalyptus
metal mimicking the ocean
wash after relentless wash of cars on highway.
only a few metres away
a progress narrative is unfolding.
on a road you are always on the road to somewhere
here in the forest we are going nowhere
we have frightened all the small animals
muted greenery devoid of heartbeat now
this is just a pleasant place for a walk
respite from the sedative tyranny of shopping mauls
endless Bunnings
Australian natives all half price.
Eleanor Jackson is a Filipino Australian poet, performer, arts producer and radio broadcaster. She curates the spoken word component of the Brisbane Emerging Arts Festival, coordinates the Brisbane Fringe Festival poetry/performance program and is a member of the Queensland Poetry Festival program committee. Currently she is the poetry editor for Peril magazine. Her work features in Going Down Swinging No. 30 and No. 32.
First posted @ eleanor j jackson
