Poem: Cradled
In today’s Poet’s Corner, Sara Abend-Sims writes of a morning walk along the Torrens Linear Park at Bowden and North Adelaide after overnight rain.
'Reflections swim in shallow puddles ...' Photo: Mario/flickr
Cradled
Cradled by what’s on offer now by what’s on offer here Morning’s cheeks are soft, washed blueness radiates night’s sweet dreams reflections swim in shallow puddles The air, a thin curtain, a sharpness a freshness; to be drunk, to be relished Pollution is bathed, diluted for a time even cars seem accepting, kind of quiet in well-washed gleaming, disappearing into someplace, away from here... away Here gum trees’ shadows crawl the cultivated lawns, hiding dogs, revealing owners, runners and white cockatoos digging black soil, unafraid, unbothered A baby, close to father’s checkered shirt harnessed in warmth and heartbeat spread like a head-up-bat, facing away from trees, from water and sky away from you and me A bearded man, feet bare, bag in hand awaits his dog to end a sniffing-catch-up dance I hear a rainbow lorikeet’s screech swooping, soaring high, chased by minor birds the darting colour faster than grey-black lines And carrying this morning home with me the freshness, water, shrieks, beauty I hold dear reflections of reflections moments within moments Cradled by what’s on offer now by what’s on offer here.
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Sara Abend-Sims is a UniSA graduate in teaching (visual art) and counselling. She exhibited her artwork for a number of years, before concentrating on poetry and fiction writing. She is the recipient of two Community Literary Award first prizes, in 2009 and 2015. Her work has appeared previously in Poet’s Corner, in Friendly Street and other anthologies, online at Adelaide’s Campbelltown Council website, and in the e-journals “Australia Times”, “Leaves of Ink”, “Art Ascent” and “Haibun Today”.