THE SUPERB LYREBIRD
we saw a lyrebird scoot across the track/
from undergrowth to undergrowth/ shy
imitation of damp dark gullies/ of cool
temperate rainforest & wet eucalypt/
the cascade of lyre shaped feathers by
moss & sticks/ a brown ear selects loud
clear sounds/ of those shadowy vocal
performances from the deep moist
mounds/ chainsaws, mammals & axe
blows/ soon all lyrebirds are fattened on
crumbs/ have learnt to mimic bus loads/
the lyrebird now takes the world into its
lungs/ its earthen cry enriched: filled
with forest endings/ a fan tail thrown
forward over its head/ it walks quietly
endangered amongst fallen leaves &
twigs/ making deep excavations in
rotting logs/ scratching out existence
with large dark feet/ as the tourist
industry opens up the lyrebird strip/
sitting with toby at minnamurra falls/ we
clung to slippery rocks & slid down into a
cold pool/ my legs turned blue from the
depth/ & we saw a lyrebird scoot across
the track/ faint falls shooting down into
the deep rock/ fanning out like a tail
from a sky one hundred feet up/ the
mystery of water from inland ranges/ a
few years later eco-terrorism/ the place
was fenced off: invaded/ no dogs
allowed/ i left toby chained up outside
the gate/ camera flashes lighting up
canopy & car parks/ a kiosk with plastic
pencil cases & dairy calf cornettos/ &
wooden walkways above wide worn paths
to selected watery places/ people had
thrown in 'coins for wishes'/ & the edges
of running streams bloomed with
lantana/ when i got to the falls there
were picnic rugs & ghetto blasters/ i
couldn't find a place to stand/ the sign
read: no swimming/ sour-faced rangers
cleaning out toilets & picking up litter/
minnamurra minnamurra/ if i could say
your name without grief/ the lyrebird
has gone/ outside the park my old dog
wears a chain & collar |
