The Messy Bush

Written in Melbourne bushland, inspired
by a Three Capes Walk, Tasmania 2017.

For years I’ve scanned the bush
critical of disarray
and standing death
around cleared field.

I’d imagine undergrowth tidied
and dead stumps stacked
in piles awaiting saw and axe
to gladden winter hearths
in scattered cottages.

But yesterday,
one such trunk,
quite dead
took my gaze.
From tiny hole half way up
appeared a pair of
brightly coloured lorikeets.
Amazed that they could fit
in such a tiny space
I watched and noticed how
they had to bow to enter into
that safe dark womb
and bow again to squeeze and soar
in freedom through the air.

Roslyn White lives in Victoria. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and spiritual director who has recently discovered the joy of poetry and the power of the spoken and written word, in addition to her joy of word in song.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.