Marilyn Peck: ‘I’ve Been Reading Clive James’s Lines’

I’ve Been Reading Clive James’s Lines

Time when the music climbs along walls
Not enclosing the pace of space in halls
Or when falls the leaves, petals or wings
Of butterflies or even ordinary things.

Like the smoke out there. So heavy, thick,
From so many fires across the land and
I remember all my life it seems the trick
Is pretending fires across this dry land

Have never been as bad as it is today.
And I remember how it was in 1939.
When I was seven. Sad to say and pay
Attention. Play definitions of last time.

Can’t we all recall Black Tuesday,
1967? Ash Wednesday 1983, Black
Saturday 2009, Brindabella pay day
’03, Canberra’s fire tornado lacked

Warning that this is the way it could
Be November 2019 as Queensland
Catches fire and predictions would
Say a predicted worst is on demand.

It is Needed. Climate calls succeeded.
Will it rain? Rain has not been seen.
Unless rain is flooding now. Needed!
Indeed; and what would Clive have seen?

Now he is gone. Oh, I shall read his lines
Every day, knowing that all he had to say
Is here to be read or listened to. Signs
Will appear. But I will grieve today.

November 28, 2019

Marilyn Peck