Monday, November 12, 2012

Tuesday Poem - Blood Love by Coral Carter





Blood Love

I met my cousin
on Wilson Street
at 16 he dived
into a rock
did time in a chair
now walks with a stick
feet twisted out
like Charlie Chaplin
but no one is laughing
we met last
at uncle’s wake
the ghost of our grandmother came
cursed as she poured the whisky
down the drain
the girl cousins
sang sad movies in their underwear
our cousin broke down
said we didn’t love him
we said
blood love
is deep and red
it stains
that was before another cousin
wrestled him to the ground
in front of 36 Varden Street
to take his keys
not that he had a driver’s licence anyway
we rang a taxi and sent him home
we remembered his father
who won the lottery
drank 12 longnecks a night
until his brain dissolved
my cousin doesn’t drink too much now
he has given up on women
they drove him to it
happier alone
his daughter – up north
his sister – round three with cancer
he wears the Aboriginal colours on his wrist
a twenty year old hat
black jeans skinny legs
I met my cousin on Wilson Street
not the kind of bloke
some would want to meet
but
blood love
is deep and red
it stains.



Here is a poem from Coral Carter’s new book – Descended From Thieves – which she just launched in Melbourne (with my book Ungainly) and in Port Augusta. I think there are launches coming up soon in Kalgoorlie, where Coral lives, and in Perth. As Coral said – “Everyone wants the free wine.” Or something very like that.

http://www.mullamullapress.com/



4 comments:

  1. I bloody love that Carter-Woman's poetry! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, unflinching and honest - a marvellous poem. The final repeated lines gave me the shivers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yeah, cool. But sad. Love's strength comes from all quarters, doesn't it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete