painting by Jeanette Prout
wild weather
grey puddles of slush
where the road was—
all our tomorrows
blown out to sea
tanka by Julie Thorndyke
when it all seems
simply too much to bear –
the cool blue ocean
edged with lapis-lazuli,
velvet fingers of white foam
— Julie Thorndyke
Eucalypt Issue 16, 2014
Equinox
autumn breezes
through my open window
another day of hoping
a still evening—
teenagers out, we decide
on skinny-dipping
overnight,
these first golden stars
fallen to the gutter
our unmade bed
coiled with serpents
of regret
morning birdsong—
light creeps through
grey foliage
enamelled flowers
pinned to black velvet—
her long ago spring
lifting cloud
lit from beneath
by a tangerine sun
Julie Thorndyke
blue shadows ache
with ancient memory beyond this
threshold of longing—
heavy with destiny, waiting
for the traveller to arrive
have you not learned
tomorrow comes, regardless?
lie with me, my love
and dream
on this shared pillow
more fragrant
than spring flowers, the scent
of my lover’s arms—
lingering this morning
in a mist of autumn dreams
for a moment,
a snatch of song
I almost remember…
somewhere, in my memory
also the press of your skin
© Julie Thorndyke 2015. All rights reserved.