February 2021
Neil Creighton
neil.creighton@bigpond.com
Author's Note: Part 3 (continued) Rosa to Morteza

Here is the second last group of Rosa’s exhortational poems to Morteza. Poor, idealistic Morteza had got himself in such a funk about things over which he had little control. Two of these poems have been previously published and once belonged to me. However, I give them to Rosa. They are hers now. She includes them here because she believes they are important to Morteza.

VII

We wake

to the flickering screen’s
images of desperation and remorse, 
the bleak recounting
of misdeeds, lies, greed, corruption,
scenes of anger, partisan politics, accusation, 
analysis, implication, expectation, speculation, 

but above the fog 
is a blue-sky day,
gum trees in nectar-filled 
explosion of blossom,  
air filled with flocks 
of beautiful rainbow lorikeets 
descending to joyously feast 
with their excited chatter 
and grey friar birds, 
dipping their dark heads 
to fill their curved beaks, 
singing their strange
chokk-chokk-four-o-clock 
in unrestrained, joyous, raucous celebration.
Originally published in One Sentence Poems

VIII

The Forge 

The golden bird on golden bough
first came from furnace fire,
dross removed, skillfully hammered
into object of desire.

The curving razor sword that glints
along its lustrous length
was heated, folded, beaten
into its shining strength.

We much desire the forged-steel strength
but not the hammer blows,
yet we must bend before the forge
from which the lustre grows.
Originally published in Praxis Mag Online

IX

Beyond the fog 

are myriad stars, 
diamond points of night
embroidering the midnight sky.
On days dark and cloudy
spoked columns of light
descend like ladders from high.
Behind the zephyr waft 
is a vast, relentless, shifting heft.
Within the shimmer of the sea
is the crash on cliff and cleft. 
Rivers flow from source to sea
in endless circularity 
and wind and water inevitably turn 
walls and towers into dust.
©2021 Neil Creighton
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