Poem: River Boy
Books & Poetry
This week’s Poet’s Corner features a further poem from Damian Balassone.
River Boy
That dreaming boy had wandered from his mates.
He wandered off with fishing rod in hand.
So far away from ripples of the lake
and out into the wild and rugged land.
So far away from all his fishing friends.
So far away from crowded waterways.
A moment to reflect on summer’s end –
enjoy the fading sunshine of the day.
Reflecting on a girl from faeryland.
Reflecting on her beauty and her grace.
Resolving that he must declare his hand.
Trying to recall her fading face.
And sitting on a log beneath the sun,
he stretched and yawned and closed his dreaming eyes.
He earnestly believed she was the one,
but visions of her frown had made him shy.
Before too long his mind began to drift
into the land of fairy tales and dreams…
and he awoke surrounded by a mist
and heard cicadas chirping by the stream,
and noticed that the sun had slipped away,
the escalating darkness brought a shiver.
Arising from the log on which he lay,
he peered into the ever-flowing river…
I am the river and I am the way.
I am the night and I am the day.
I am the future and I am the past.
I am the first and I am the last.
Damian Balassone, from Warrandyte, Victoria, is the author of three volumes of poetry, including the forthcoming collection of short poems and epigrams ‘Love is a Weird Cat’. His poems have also appeared in more than 100 other Australian and international publications, notably in The New York Times, The Australian, The Canberra Times and The Spectator. Les Murray, seen as Australia’s uncrowned poet laureate, called him “a virtuoso”. More about Damian and his poetry can be found at here.
Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au.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
