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It feels like it should be a 'hang spring cleaning' sort of poem. I'd start with the 'dirty dishes' - great line btw and maybe some irritation at failing to write about beauty, surrender to that beauty - or horror, possibly depending on which way your mood swings - in the outside world then return refreshed to the mundaneities of everyday life. I'm not sure about the English and Australian mentions. If you include that it might be a more complex poem? Roger On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 4:22 AM, Janet Jackson <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > something I'm working on. comments welcome! > > *maintenance* > > The weather mood-swings. The Australian bush and > English gardens, jarrahs and marris and > autumn-acorned oaks, drip and glisten in > this morning's filtered fire > > The magpies carol to it, > wagtails chirrup to it, > black cockatoos, widewinged, soar, > land on the barest branches and call: Maria! Maria! > My favourites the ravens are hiding, > waiting until later to show me their > shined-up black-leather stealth. > > So much beauty is available > and I'm writing about real birds > like anyone does when that's what there is > But this is as close to depression as a mind like mine can get > > Because I looked at something dark and kind of lost > and I liked the smell of it in my eyesockets and I wanted > to go off into it > > I leave the dirty dishes to the cockroaches > and go out trying to see the shape of it > in other people's faces and bodies > > but the dishes just wait for me > and there's washing to hang > > I've been reading and reading > trying to find the words of it > playing and singing > trying to hear the noise of it > > but there's toys to pick up > and people wanting to love me > and money to earn > and spend > on food > and clothing > and > > maintenance > > -- > Janet Jackson <[log in to unmask]> > www.proximity.webhop.net (Poetry) > www.myspace.com/poetjj (Includes occasional arts & culture blog) > > The Line Mine, bulletin board for Perth poetry & spoken word: > [log in to unmask] > groups.yahoo.com/group/thelinemine > > Breastfeeding info & help: www.breastfeeding.asn.au > -- My Stuff: http://www.badstep.net/ "She went out with her paint box, paints the chapel blue She went out with her matches, torched the car-wash too" The Go-Betweens