New Poetry by David Adès

I Like the Word 

umbrage 

(O Dolores, Dolores, 

so aptly named) 

though not so much 

being the object 

of it 

for some innocuous  

comment, wrongly taken, 

that raised hackles, 

prompted a snarl,  

a heat-seeking 

missile response, 

as when  

driving home from school 

I enquired  

of my (adolescent,  

it must be said) 

daughter 

whether she was getting 

as much homework 

this year as last,  

and she 

what the fuck dude?

saw red, red, indignant red.

- ©  David Adès 2023

David Adès is the author of Mapping the World, the chapbook Only the Questions Are Eternal and most recently Afloat in Light (https://uwap.uwa.edu.au/products/afloat-in-light). He is the host of a monthly poetry podcast series, Poets’ Corner, which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb8bHCZBRMBjlWlPDeaSanZ3qAZcuVW7N.