As you stand in company
lift the inner sides of both feet
shuffle them together until they touch
Now push down gently from the middle
causing the outer sides of your shoes to splay
On hot mornings in the quadrangle the asphalt
will go spongy, crack and break into fissures
None of this movement should be visible
in your upper body which stands
at attention, listening to teacher bilge
And when assembly is over
when everyone breaks up
and heads off to class, there
where you all just were, the sun
plays on a series of little eruptions
Up they come, such memories,
not dug for – squeezed out
from weatherworn cracks
In the Australia of your mind
the headmaster is still fuming
bw
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