Poems: Falling Trees & Butterfly Attack
Books & Poetry
In this week’s Poet’s Corner, David Harris of Adelaide contributes two poems inspired by nature.
Falling Trees
Albert fell today.
He was old,
it was not unexpected,
but when he crashed down,
into the undergrowth,
and disappeared from sight
it shook the forest floor.
We felt it – all of us.
One less of us
up here in the sunlight.
Takes a lifetime, year on year.
From here, we see it all.
Youngsters, bigger every day,
Thrusting, impatient,
jealous of us, of the sunlight.
Waiting now for us to die.
Clear vision.
A lifetime to earn,
a few years to enjoy.
So, goodbye Albert.
We’ll miss you.
Butterfly Attack
From my vantage point on the ladder
they are at eye level.
The butterfly, flying for its life,
a wagtail in hot pursuit.
It seems no contest.
The bird, so quick, so agile
and yet each time it darts in
a split-second manoeuvre –
too fast for eye to follow,
and the butterfly escapes.
Get InReview in your inbox – free each Saturday. Local arts and culture – covered.
Thanks for signing up to the InReview newsletter.
The bird attacks again.
Result the same.
And then they disappear
behind the shed.
David Harris is a retired engineer born and raised in Perth and living in Glenelg. He flew Vampire and Meteor turbojet aircraft for the RAAF during the 1950s, a ‘golden age of flying’. He plays Celtic folk music, writes poetry and occasional song lyrics, and his first published poem was in a school magazine. He is a past Friendly Street Poets Mentored Poet in 2011, and has published two collections, ‘In a Subjunctive Mood’ in 2017, and ‘On Life’ in March 2020, both with Ginninderra Press.
Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.
Support local arts journalism
Your support will help us continue the important work of InReview in publishing free professional journalism that celebrates, interrogates and amplifies arts and culture in South Australia.
Donate Here
