or the St Joseph’s nuns at The Haven, Emu Park, Australia
the slow road north –
roadworks and the sight of
an overturned car
blessed are those who wake in a bed made up by nuns
wrapped up in green leaves
in the convent garden –
a small package of ants
on the beach
the wind snatches away
the straw hat he left in the car
blessed are those who wake in a bed made up by nuns
a boundary fencepost
is now driftwood
and salted white
like the television ad i heard one night
a little brown owl calls
where the bloody hell are you-oo?
blessed are those who wake in a bed made up by nuns
uprooted tree –
i upturn the Buddha’s advice
and meditate in the roots of trees
a kookaburra gang
not jovial at all
laughs while persecuting a magpie
blessed are those who wake in a bed made up by nuns
rainy day –
in the mirror of the dark bathroom
i look so young!
without much sun
the sea is silvery-cobalt
and stretches on and on
blessed are those who wake in a bed made up by nuns
ninety years ago, my jilted grandmother
came here
and decided she’d brave mothering alone
blessed are those who wake in a bed made up by nuns