This week’s Poet’s Corner comes from Peter Groves.
He held a pose,
akubra against
the morning sky
shading his red wrinkled
face and neck.
Khaki overalls
stiff from working
in dirt and sweat
creased around
his stout trunk and stubby legs
while his hands
were planted in the pockets
as firmly as his
battered boots were rooted
to the ground.
Ten minutes to the ute
then ten minutes to home,
wife and phone
and another half-hour
to the town,
then a further
eighty miles
to the nearest hospital.
There on this ridge
he found there was no better time
to stay still,
scan the land
and work out what chores
had to be done by the close of day
while waiting
for the brown snake nudging
his boots to slither away.
Peter Groves lives in Sydney. A former federal public servant, poetry has been a lifelong interest that has led to long-term participation in various writing groups, such as the WEA Writers Group, and currently his membership of the very active and encouraging Pennant Hills Poetry Group.
Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.
Photo: Gaye Launder / CC by 2.0