Irritability - Cyclical ebb and flow
Twitching lower lid - Of what is to come
Long days and short nights - Boredom
Light breeze against tawny skin - Tranquility

***

Obstinacy in revealing too much of the past, too little of the present.
We glide through fleetingly blithe days
Completely shut in/out, self-absorbed.
Haggling over generosity of clemency
We learn to compromise, or fool to appease.

***

When the first teasing hints of gold foist through the organza sheets.
Where I'd left the phone after reading his last words for the night.
Between juggling placidity and a pendant sense of urgency-
The fatigued one reigned supreme, and so I drift along.

Sitting on milk crates
Cigarette in hand, weekend on mind.
Dipping in the explosion of pollen-yellow rays,
I think of strawberries, chocolate fondue, The Gin Palace.

I've felt a certain calmness; found comfort in myopia.
I've left things running; I'll soon catch up.

We'd escaped from saturation
Driving along coastlines.
Battles between right/wrong/helplessness
Levelled out by the horse we both were.
With him there were discretionary words
With me he knew to gently prod, and accepted the ominous release.

I dreamt last night.
Of us running away from strange bad people
You were hurt, and I ran away.
I struggled to wake up
And you called at 0125, voice quivering.

I've seen a certain frailty; tried to maintain openness.
I've let promises bounce off; I'll make up along the way.

Nights of blurry carelessness
Picture-perfect days of watermelon gelati.
Where she'd missed out along the way
He quietly made up.
She made him laugh
He kept her settled.

Today I drove in circles, breathed in the salty scent of the sea, and bought long stalks of gladioli and spear grass.
The winds swept the sleepy clouds away
And in an instant I felt better.

As I made my way through the ostentatious floral displays
Of orchids and magenta banksias
I thought of a weekend away by the sea
And picnics with wine and cheese.