Poems

Les Murray: Four New Poems

Swallows Returning   Manoeuvre and zip make a trio of two swallows just returning from winterless New Guinea   and now fetching clay to plaster a cradle under verandah beams and nipping the odd spider—   swallows, now tremulous, now whipping over glass.     Green Catbird   Freckle-headed green catbird mews its territory out of mid rainforest.   Both sexes may bound up from branch to branch heading for the canopy   Catbird stays in the bush paired or single, ready to play the cripple   tapering off thereafter into fruit and leaf meals, telling their green storey.  …

Subscribe to get access to all online articles

Digital Subscription

$98/ YR

Get the latest ideas from Australia’s most insightful writers.

Subscribe

  • Digital Subscription includes
  • Online editions of Quadrant Magazine
  • Printed editions of Quadrant Magazine
  • iPad ready PDF
  • Access to Quadrant Archives
  •  
  •  

Printed & Digital Subscription

$118/ YR

For avid readers of leading ideas
from Australia’s brightest.

Subscribe

  • Printed & Digital Subscription includes
  • Online editions of Quadrant Magazine
  • Printed editions of Quadrant Magazine
  • iPad ready PDF
  • Access to Quadrant Archives
  •  
  •  

Quadrant Patron

$300/ YR

Show your support for Australia’s
most open minded publication.

Subscribe

  • Quadrant Patron includes
  • Online editions of Quadrant Magazine
  • Printed editions of Quadrant Magazine
  • iPad ready PDF
  • Access to Quadrant Archives
  • All new editions of Quadrant Books
  • Exclusive invitations to Quadrant Dinners, book launches and events.