Day Four
XI. THE GOAT ABATTOIR
15. Baby Animals In The Wilderness
Later on to heal myself,
i stared into some dappled light
& thought of very gentle things,
say, of emu chicks & paper daisies
& to myself i pretended
that i had saved
a black & white kid
& that i fed it with a bottle
of Aussie Soy,
so that its tail flicked like spring,
as it sucked down the warm bean milk
that was generated into its living.
To heal myself, i thought of baby animals
& the new, young country after rain
& held my cheek against the stone
& breathed in deep & brave & mauve
beside the setting sun
& i thought of dogs & clouds & warmth
& dad inside, making vegetable soup.
Anything at all, to hold back the day
& the sting of tears.
Just small soft things, to keep me here
& simple things i noticed, like
kids coming out from school
& birds before dusk. |