Poem: Spring Rain
Books & Poetry
A new season inspires Helena Bryony Parker’s second Poet’s Corner contribution.
Spring Rain
I tread earth through the house
from beneath the wisteria clothesline
that droops under the hot chin of sky
soon to split into rain and cold.
Knocked out, jeered on
by the agitated growl of cicadas
that thrash their legs in hungry anticipation
for tonight’s gladiator show of seasons changing.
Changes – spring is never stable here.
More and more she loses her grip
to summer’s clenched fist.
Inside flies multiply, hanging like black grapes.
They drag their swollen bodies through the rooms
to throw themselves against window panes in desperation,
the great exodus.
Tonight a caterpillar crawled across my collarbone,
intimately, like a caress.
As I opened the window to save him
beneath a dark arm of fern
the brittle wind stripped him from me
and sent him somersaulting through the wet air
to better arms, to the Opera House.
Shadows deepen, the sky cracks to thunder.
Inside the houseplants cry for water
but somewhere
a caterpillar sings an aria.
Helena Bryony Parker lives in Sydney. Her poetry has appeared online in various publications, and she is currently undertaking a Master’s of Publishing at the University of Sydney. Her poem Mozambique was published in Poet’s Corner last week.
Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au.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.
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