Poem: Distraction

Distraction

From my window, distraction.

Valley views over rooftops,

watching the clouds buffered by the wind,

sulphur-crested cockatoos screech and saw.

People come and go, to or from places I’ll never know.

Dogs bark at the unknown,

deliveries of parcels and the occasional letter,

how conveniences have changed our daily lives.

Hermit life cannot be all that bad.

Sanctuary of home comforts I’ve made,

online shopping for bargains,

free shipping included.

Back to my valley views.

Even at night the lights of houses shine,

a bright plane lamp moves closer,

before changing direction to schedule.

But sundown is my favourite time.

Light dims and colours meddle,

the sun drops down behind the hill,

better start making dinner,

such an effort, worthwhile.

Born and raised in South Australia’s Mt Gambier, Lara Dunstone lives in regional Victoria. As a number of Poet’s Corner contributors and correspondents have said recently, Lara has gained a lot of poetry inspiration from the widely acclaimed and uniquely different, currently streaming 30-episode TV series Dickinson, about groundbreaking American poet Emily Dickinson, 1830‒1886.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected].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: Wikimedia Commons / Simon A. Eugster