Poem: Under the Panda Cam

Books & Poetry

Wednesday June 24, 2015 Comments

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It may be winter but in this week’s Poet’s Corner, Judy Dally is perhaps looking ahead to spring again with her view of Adelaide Zoo’s celebrated pandas Wang Wang and Funi.

Under the Panda Cam

At the zoo beside the bamboo-fringed pool
the pandas are peeping through
heir window of opportunity.

They assess each other’s powers of attraction,
share common interests, compare tastes
in roots and shoots

before making physical contact: bumping, patting,
rolling, stroking; paws palpating, tongues tasting.
Playing checkerboard games of Pass and Jump,

they are the yin and yang of youthful exuberance;
the black and white barber’s pole twist
of panda play.

But now the patterns unravel. Bodies disconnect,
pink mouths yawn: no opportunities taken
and the window closing.

Judy Dally has been a board member for the SA Writers’ Centre and committee member and co-editor for the Friendly Street Poetry Group. Her most recent joint project for Friendly Street was its Reader No. 36, launched at Writers’ Week 2012. She has also seen more than 25 consecutive years of personal publication in the annual Friendly Street Reader. Judy has been a teacher, and has published two books on the profession.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. A poetry book will be awarded to each contributor.

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<h1>Poem: Under the Panda Cam</h1>

<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/compiled-by-john-miles/" class="author">Compiled by John Miles</a></address>
											
							It may be winter but in this week’s Poet’s Corner, Judy Dally is perhaps looking ahead to spring again with her view of Adelaide Zoo’s celebrated pandas Wang Wang and Funi.
<h4 style="padding-left: 30px;"><a href="#under-the-panda-cam" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="under-the-panda-cam"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>Under the Panda Cam</h4>
At the zoo beside the bamboo-fringed pool 
the pandas are peeping through 
heir window of opportunity.
They assess each other’s powers of attraction, 
share common interests, compare tastes 
in roots and shoots
before making physical contact: bumping, patting, 
rolling, stroking; paws palpating, tongues tasting. 
Playing checkerboard games of Pass and Jump,
they are the yin and yang of youthful exuberance; 
the black and white barber’s pole twist 
of panda play.
But now the patterns unravel. Bodies disconnect, 
pink mouths yawn: no opportunities taken 
and the window closing.
Judy Dally has been a board member for the SA Writers’ Centre and committee member and co-editor for the Friendly Street Poetry Group. Her most recent joint project for Friendly Street was its Reader No. 36, launched at Writers’ Week 2012. She has also seen more than 25 consecutive years of personal publication in the annual Friendly Street Reader. Judy has been a teacher, and has published two books on the profession.
Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to <a href="mailto:poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au">poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au</a>. A poetry book will be awarded to each contributor.
 
 
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