Poem: It’s what we do
Road trips and life’s trip inspire this week’s Poet’s Corner contribution from Adam.
It’s what we do
I refuse to sleep on road trips
in case the car goes rogue
and there’s time to pull the handle
and throw myself to safety.
I’ll play those odds
though keeping alive
means getting old
and laying friends to rest,
though keeping alive
means further scars along
the spirit flesh of the heart.
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It’s what we do.
We take the blows
for spaces between the blows
lending chances to laugh with mates,
to kiss a lover,
to read a quote or two.
Not much else. It’s bittersweet, really,
but worth it.
Delight,
at junctures in every breath,
walks the gallows
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but hangmen take sickies too.
It’s bittersweet
but we keep ourselves alive for little else.
It’s worth it though.
I don’t know why
but it is.
Adam is a Queensland-based Adelaide-born poet and founder of the Tatenda Open Mic Poetry event. He has published two books of poetry. His latest publication, ‘Best Not Talk About It’, a collection of political essays, was released in October last year. Discover more about Adam’s writing here.
Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected].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.