gather up the offcuts
old fence palings
down the side shed
beg Dad for a couple a nails
or pinch 'em
from that new house
going up, shiny and strewn
like they weren't even something precious
rusty hammer
Yes, we'll be very careful
A door of flannelette
sheeted and pinned
to the wall the rules of etiquette
a broken watch
so we'll always know
the time anyway, who cares
Mum'll yell out coo-ee if
Your dinner's on the table going stone bloody cold. Where have you been?
decorator dandelion
drooping in a jar
splash of yellow
ragbag quilt, a cardboard box
to rest our elbows on
sweepings of pine needles
softness for a bed
and quickly kissing Tommy Sinclaire
scent of grass-stained jeans
and something dry like hay
or sunshine
a book to read
or Mum's old magazines
crosswords near complete
serrated pages
where the recipes have been
mostly it was tribal
seclusion and exclusion
Build your own whydontcha!
No boys allowed!
except for Tommy Sinclaire, yeah
he's alright, we'll let him in
Kathryn Ross April 11th, 2016
Copyright kathryn Ross 2016
old fence palings
down the side shed
beg Dad for a couple a nails
or pinch 'em
from that new house
going up, shiny and strewn
like they weren't even something precious
rusty hammer
Yes, we'll be very careful
A door of flannelette
sheeted and pinned
to the wall the rules of etiquette
a broken watch
so we'll always know
the time anyway, who cares
Mum'll yell out coo-ee if
Your dinner's on the table going stone bloody cold. Where have you been?
decorator dandelion
drooping in a jar
splash of yellow
ragbag quilt, a cardboard box
to rest our elbows on
sweepings of pine needles
softness for a bed
and quickly kissing Tommy Sinclaire
scent of grass-stained jeans
and something dry like hay
or sunshine
a book to read
or Mum's old magazines
crosswords near complete
serrated pages
where the recipes have been
mostly it was tribal
seclusion and exclusion
Build your own whydontcha!
No boys allowed!
except for Tommy Sinclaire, yeah
he's alright, we'll let him in
Kathryn Ross April 11th, 2016
Copyright kathryn Ross 2016