Sunday, September 19, 2010

New Words and Watercolour by Wayne H. W Wolfson

Autumn Serenade

I was heading home, hot and tired but having gotten a lot done, I was not too displeased. I had even managed to sketch the little stone relief of the goat above the water spout at the bottom of the stairs which now only managed to drizzle water.
On Sunday mornings there would be brown bottles, broken jagged gems, littering the fountains slow growing puddle. The goat had his back to the viewer but was looking over his shoulder as if the sound of the sculptor’s chisel had taken him by surprise. To the lower right corner of the relief grew a clump of wild thyme, the scent of which always made me hungry unless late night revelers had pissed by it; then I would have to wait a few days to enjoy its perfume.
I had met Cecilia for drinks. I got a whisky which she always sort of disapproved of because of the hour, feeling for herself that Campari and soda was not really drinking. She had looked good, always shown to best effect when turned out in a simple dress.
From perspiration and a shirt collar which had grown too big, the shoulder strap of my bag cut into that place where neck meets shoulder. My hand held the paper bag but carefully as I thought about perhaps doing a mural on it which would now be scented with charcuterie and cherries.  
Normally, my hands would be free, clasped behind my back as I walked but my book bag was full up with sketch pad, the first volume of Mandalbaum’s translation of Dante and the bottle of Corsican brandy I had been planning on giving to Cecilia to pass on to Ottorino.


 "Paris Street" (Watercolour on paper)
 by Wayne H. W Wolfson

 The holidays were coming and I enjoyed the novelty of being the good son as there was no blood between us, the complete lack of expectation made it far easier for me. Good because I chose to be, a skin I could shed at anytime.
He had been sick with a flu which left him ten pounds lighter. She was the obedient daughter and would never tell him that he could not drink but anyone trying to expand the glass bottle marimba which had slowly been taking over the buffet would face her fury.
It was all right, I knew a little place next to a tobacconist in Rome where I could get him a new chess clock instead.
She would notice that I , among his closer friends did not disrespect her by trying to smuggle in contraband.
“You play nice.”
The phrase had an almost baby talk connotation which I hated but was one which she could murmur smoothly in English not sounding too bad when carried by her slightly husky voice. She also practiced saying no with her eyes so that she could at least lie to herself as she got ready to go out.
Tomorrow we would go to the concert together and I would kiss her neck as the lights went down.
I got home and through the living room window, saw a bird pecking at a bit of dirt below the geranium in the window box. He looked up at me and cocked his head to the side. It was just the two of us and for now, that too was all right.


- Wayne H. W Wolfson 2010 

One of Bluepepper's most beloved contributors, Wayne H.W Wolfson is an American artist and poet who has just returned from his annual sabbatical in Paris. Click on the post-heading for more of Wayne's work and contact details.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

New Poetry by Libby Hart

 








Lately

I’ve been crossing myself
at odd moments.

There was a time
I would only do this in church

and its ritual meaning
was nothing more than obedience.

There has been a great gap of time
since then and now

and I wonder why,
suddenly, I’ve taken it up again.

Is it akin to what Steinbeck once described
as a duck walking over my grave?

Or is it my soul touching on
the unknown and recognising it?

With great reverence stitched on my face
I make the sign of the cross

wondering if, indeed,
it is because you have remembered me.


- Libby Hart 2010













Robin

Small apparition,
a perfect shape of fire.

Once I held your warmth
in both hands.

I murmured safe passage,
ripe crimson words

Then swift grace followed.
Wonder soared inside the New Year.


- Libby Hart 2010














Wild calling

A fear of drowning
can make a man test himself
against the cool shock of salt water.
Each day he presses on with purpose,
but soon will scull the shore
with all that force inside of him,
one oar stroke at a time.

Once he called the whales to come,
watching the wide, sparkling ocean
with all the enthusiasm of a true believer
until they emerged with a mermaid’s flourish
inside a glimpse of fluke then a mighty roll,
barnacle jewellery glinting in the sun.

- Libby Hart 2010
Libby Hart’s first collection of poetry, Fresh News from the Arctic (2006) received the Anne Elder Award and was shortlisted for the Mary Gilmore Prize. She is also the recipient of a DJ O’Hearn Memorial Fellowship at The Australian Centre, University of Melbourne. Her book-length poem This Floating World was devised for stage and performed by Teresa Bell and Gavin Blatchford (2010). Publication of This Floating World is forthcoming through Five Islands Press (2011)

Monday, September 06, 2010

Calling all Poets!










The August winds have finally died, leaving me sitting on my frozen hands and with a soft ringing in my ears like all my ghosts come home to roost. While I wait for the first sanguine buds of September, I am CALLING ALL POETS! Refer to the submission guidelines in the sidebar before submitting, please.