Monday, June 10, 2013

Tuesday Poem - red heart my country by Eric Beach



red heart my country

can't help but examine all th faces at th station
and I have to admit I was eaves-dropping too
my how you've grown haven't seen you since creation
horse over in th stockyard's clopping through

nan with her grand-kid no-one's quite apart
we're all watching him keep behind th yellow line
we don't care there's no train yet – there's country heart
we've all had that feeling – that kid could have been mine

and I remember th first time I left on my own
suitcase tied with string and as heavy as patience
general consensus I was bringing down th tone
right on cue there's a siren in th distance

football team on th oval lifting telephone poles
late afternoon crickets pulsing in unison
I have to stop and scuff up some red dirt with my sole
new coat of paint on th pub it's shining

elm trees and a bronze horseman to our heroic dead
bronze akubra forever askew on his head
town clock says forget lunch we'll have dinner instead
and I'm walking th back lanes behind th old sheds
where my son used to hide and surprise me every time he did
where my son used to hide and surprise me every time he did


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2 comments:

  1. I don't often like rhyming poems but this has a nice pace and rhythm. And the last two lines are very good, too.

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  2. There is something very appealing about this poem and each time I read it I get something more. I didn't actually notice the rhyme until I read Michelle's comment and that was surprising. I would love to hear the poet's comment on it but it stands alone without. :-)

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