My mother’s house surrounds me in a shroud: the tinkling of the teaspoon as my father stirs his tea, his tea; the chug of the washing machine that never dies. The tubular wind chimes casting their cool auric spell around us; the complaint of the floorboards bearing up our lives. And the busyness, of the birds in bush …
Two Reviews Published in Mascara
Distance, Nathanael O’Reilly’s first full-length poetry collection, is separated into three sections – ‘Australia’, ‘Europe’ and ‘America’ – the first and most substantial section (which deals with the experience of growing up in Australia) functioning as the emotional cornerstone of the collection. The title and section headings immediately alert us to the major themes of the book – distance, separation, …
Lotus
Lotus Gurgling sounds woke me — (perhaps I needed to pee?) — the sink had filled with water abundant enough to spill out onto the floor and flow in a sacred stream under the bathroom door. In this lucid dream within a dream I rose from your father’s bed and followed the trail to you, my son, a lotus blooming …
Stop
Let’s leave everything be. Let’s just stop fixing. Perhaps if we let everyone settle clarity will be revealed. Today I entered the cathedral of the bush— sought permission to walk the land; felt it granted. Was buoyed by a chorus of cicadas ulullating their adulation to the Gaia of this world. (On Facebook a slowed down recording of cicadas— Oh …
a Christmas passing
a Christmas passing travelling home on Christmas Day full hearts and bellies straining bush teeming on either side of this glistening snake of humanity from the front seat a few sighs and then the benevolent curtain of rain parts to let Great Uncle Tommy pass through *On Christmas Day last year my great Uncle Tommy passed away …
Emily
It’s Emily Dickinson’s birthday. Here’s a poem I wrote about her, ‘found’ from within her own brilliant creations. Emily When I was a little girl They shut me up in prose Because I dealt my pretty words Like treason to my foes. A loaded gun – they called me – And carried me away And locked me in the closet …
‘Ms Suburbia’ published in Salon Style
I have had a poem, Ms Suburbia, published in Salon Style: Fiction, Poetry & Art. Edited by Brian Centrone, Salon Style is an e-book of work by writers, poets, and artists, in diverse genres such as Gothic/Horror, Sci-Fi, Women’s Lit, and Americana. It really is a very eclectic mix of voices, and I’m proud to have been included. The book, which …
A Halloween Poem by Moonlight
My spooky little Halloween Poem by Moonlight has been picked up by the fabulous Blue Hour Magazine to be part of their latest print anthology. It really is a beauty, with so much fine poetry, prose, and artwork to explore. Please consider buying one, and have a spooky Halloween! A Halloween Poem by Moonlight I want my poems to disturb you …
Engraft
I recently had a poem published in Upstart: A Journal of English Renaissance Studies, as part of their Out Of Sequence: The Sonnet’s Remixed project. Editor D.Gilson says of the project that ‘I was most interested in editing this collection as a way of exploring how in a specific moment — today, the second decade of the twenty-first century — …
Self Seen
At the beginning of this year I was asked to read my poetry at The Woman Scream International Poetry Festival in Sydney. The festival is celebrated in March every year in many countries throughout the world, and seeks to bring attention to issues such as violence against women, as well as to support and showcase the voices of women …