A Selection from "Engraft" by Michele Seminara

Dog

Pulled forth by a line
of scent, the dog’s snout snakes
through hissing grass —

I jerk his neck, master 
to slave, and drag him
from shit’s wonderment.

On brighter days he’s free to sniff:
when the wind’s not wet 
and the ground’s not mud 
and the children snooze 
and the drudge is done
and my mind’s been set free —

When my head’s
been buried long enough 
in the cool green strands 
of its siren-muse, 
burrowing to inhale
the prized and pungent self.

Pulled forth by a line
of scent, my furtive soul craves 
closet verse —

World jerks my neck, master  
to slave, and drags me
from word’s wonderment.

- Michele Seminara 2016

Michele Seminara is a poet and managing editor of online creative arts journal Verity La (http://verityla.com/, @VerityLa). Her first poetry collection Engraft (Island Press, 2016) was recently launched in Sydney by Martin Langford and will be launched in Newcastle by Anne Walsh on Feb 29, 7:30pm, at Poetry At The Pub (Wickham Park Hotel, Cnr of Maitland Road & Albert St, Wickham). She will also be reading (along with the other Island Press poets — Les Wicks, Mark Roberts, David Gilbey and Lauren Williams) in Melbourne on Saturday 19 March, 2pm, at the Dan O'Connell Hotel (225 Canning St, Carlton).

Michele blogs at TheEverydayStrange (http//wordpress.com/stats/micheleseminara. Wordpress.com) and is on Twitter @SeminaraMichele.

Copies of Engraft ($20) can be purchased by cheque from http://islandpress.tripod.com/ISLAND.htm or directly from Michele via Paypal or direct credit by contacting micheleseminara@hotmail.com.