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I thought 'train,' even as the poem says 'drove,' Lawrence, that speed of passing the bush. Sort of second Bill's query about 'understand,' though it probably works both ways… Not sure what 'fire hills' are, although those men could be read as firefighter after a fire (at a farm?)… It's a true series of quick snapshots, though... Doug On 2013-02-27, at 1:46 PM, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Except for the hedges (which imply some keptness), this could be an Australian pre-bushfire piece, Lawrence. Is there a reason all lines but the first are indented one letter space? And is the switch to present tense in the fifth line deliberate? I like 'That's many yards' which tells well of movement when your eyes want arrest. > > On 28/02/2013, at 7:21 AM, Lawrence Upton <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> A burning wooden man leapt over >> >> some kind of fence or hedge; and I saw him >> >> as we drove past the fields. I took it in >> >> but wanted to have more information >> >> before I could say that I understand. >> >> He was large, quite thin in proportion, >> >> surfaces flame-blackened. Two large bushes >> >> close up to the road stopped me seeing much >> >> for a second or two. That's many yards. >> >> When I could see again, he had dispersed >> >> into shanty barricades, shadows >> >> and things lying flat on the ground that men >> >> walked over as they went about their work – >> >> busy; numerous; and tiny, compared to him. >> >> Half-visible kids freewheeled down fire hills, >> >> fresh obstructions ending that episode. >> >> >> > Douglas Barbour [log in to unmask] Recent publications: (With Sheila E Murphy) Continuations & Continuation 2 (UofAPress). Recording Dates (Rubicon Press). Something else is out there godamnit And I want to hear it C.D.Wright