The following poem of mine appeared in The Canberra Times last Saturday, 18th May. It will also be in my new book, Drag down to unlock or place an emergency call, out late 2013 from Pitt St Poetry.
Doors closing. Please stand clear.
Passengers are reminded
The 11.44 Emu Plains service will depart in six minutes
a cigarette butt is stuck to the black spiked heel of my left shoe
This service is experiencing a slight delay due to a sick customer at Town Hall
I have been carrying the lilies too long
This service is experiencing continuing delays due to a sick customer at Town Hall
the petal edges fray to bruised brown, like old lettuce
Customers wishing to travel on the Western line are advised to proceed to platform twelve
my black stockings are bunched and twisted
Customers are reminded
The 13.00 funeral service
will commence promptly at the appointed time
whether I am there or not
This is the 12.09 Lithgow service
First stop –
Rust-coloured crumbs of lily pollen on my black suit
– then all stations to –
my mind is still not full enough
Doors closing. Please stand clear.
(c) Melinda Smith 2013
Hullo!! Are Canberra Times publishing poetry again? I thought they’d stopped.
Well done & I hope you are well.
Sincerely,
Michelle x
Hi Michelle, yes, they’ve just started up again although I’m not sure it will be every week. Geoff Page is now poetry editor.
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