Good one, Max. (I wonder how our garden is fairing in the hothouse west.)
Andrew
On 21/03/07, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Hand-held hose
>
>
> Till the drought breaks and our dams refill,
> our town's on 'level three water restrictions',
>
> and I'm on hand-held-hose-duty.
> Twice a week, and twice only,
>
> we hose our garden (but not our lawn)
> from 6 to 8, and 8 to 10.
>
> I rise in the dark, drag out the house,
> and stand still as long as I can, hosing.
>
> The nozzle adjusts from gentle and wide
> to narrow, fast and far. The garden is small.
>
> Avoiding the rose bushes' sensitive leaves
> before dawn and after dark is beyond me.
>
> The coming of the light is a long slow pleasure.
> The park takes curvaceous shape, grey turns brown.
>
> Bird music and harsh bird talk start up.
> The first pedestrian passes towards the bus stop.
>
> For once, the folk up-hill aren't watering.
> No-one down-hill has come out at all -
>
> as if yesterday's light rain was all they needed.
> Much of the water I am squandering
>
> flows under my driveway - and my neighbour's -
> and surfaces where his lawn is green and growing.
>
> He likes to thank me. We share a young
> thirsty hedge we're both rather neglecting.
>
> Soon boredom sets in. My boots are well watered.
> Tonight whether the garden needs it or not
>
> I'll use my quota, that's what rationing does
> to a person. The fading light will take away
>
> the park, the differences between plants.
> The pedestrian returning home
>
> may well think I've stood here all day.
> Sunday I can do it all, legally, again.
>
> Should the drought not break, level
> four is threatened, unthinkable.
>
>
> Wednesday 21 March 2007
>
> Max Richards
> Doncaster, Victoria
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> ------------------------------------------------------------
> This email was sent from Netspace Webmail: http://www.netspace.net.au
>
--
Andrew
http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
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