Topic Tags:
0 Comments

Happy Make-Believe

Liz McQuilkin

Jun 01 2013

1 mins

My mother’s dressing gown is dark green velvet,

three velvet buttons I love to stroke.

She’s climbing twenty-one wooden stairs,

coming to say goodnight.

Her emerald-ring hand glides up the banister,

right hand lifts the full-length folds

as she feels for each narrow plank

with neat, black-slippered feet.

My mother is slim and light of step,

not yet ground down

by hard work or the hurt

of infidelity.

Each night she makes up tales—

a hero fighting dragons,

a princess saved by a prince—

casting my brother and me

in all the central roles,

building for us a world

of happy make-believe

while hers collapses.

            *

Downstairs she draws the damask curtains

of green, almost black,

to block out the cold,

and heats, reheats his dinner.

The hours are long and black.

The garage door slams shut.

The front door closes with hollow click—

he’s home, he’s eaten already.

*

Morning. My mother’s dress is pale green poplin,

calf-length, wrap-round, bow tied firm.

She sets out cereal, eggs, toast, apple,

hovers between sink and stove.

He sits behind his paper,

sipping sweetened coffee.

The front door clicks again, he’s gone

until tonight, late.

She gazes down the hallway. Softly speaks:

Then the King strode forth to court,

turns and gathers us

into another tale.

Liz McQuilkin

Comments

Join the Conversation

Already a member?

What to read next

  • Letters: Authentic Art and the Disgrace of Wilgie Mia

    Madam: Archbishop Fisher (July-August 2024) does not resist the attacks on his church by the political, social or scientific atheists and those who insist on not being told what to do.

    Aug 29 2024

    6 mins

  • Aboriginal Culture is Young, Not Ancient

    To claim Aborigines have the world's oldest continuous culture is to misunderstand the meaning of culture, which continuously changes over time and location. For a culture not to change over time would be a reproach and certainly not a cause for celebration, for it would indicate that there had been no capacity to adapt. Clearly this has not been the case

    Aug 20 2024

    23 mins

  • Pennies for the Shark

    A friend and longtime supporter of Quadrant, Clive James sent us a poem in 2010, which we published in our December issue. Like the Taronga Park Aquarium he recalls in its 'mocked-up sandstone cave' it's not to be forgotten

    Aug 16 2024

    2 mins