Selected poems
A Timeless Deepness of Silence
(1)
Walking here amongst the trees and steep slopes
of the Alamein Track
Looking into a deep and mystery creek valley
as it flows towards the imposition of Mountain Highway
Seeking onwards its mingling with Narra Narrawong
(the Dandenong Creek)
Able to glimpse Doongalla Forest
as it climbs towards the Corhanwarrable Summit
(2)
Vehicles travelling the highway make sound and movement
yet appear as in far-away dimensions of the unreal
In this experience of place and moment
is a knowing of timelessness
offering persistent invitation into a deepness of silence
Silence knowing and living out
the roots of a self-aware becoming
sometime known as eternity
A Mental Health Visit from Jess
For a considerable number of years
there has been an ongoing love affair
between Granpa (hmmm —- me) —- and Jess!
Don’t know if she dreams of me
but i certainly dream of her —- serially!!
Well Jess is granddaughter’s golden Labrador
and she has not yet cleared up that question for me
However every time i go up the hill to the family place there
i am greeted from a considerable distance
by this vociferous dog-talk which in effect says —-
“I AM HERE AND I EXPECT YOU TO COME AND SEE ME —-FIRST!”
The response from granpa? —- (yes dear)
Well the other day she arrived on my doorstep
as part of a home delivery from Daughter up the Hill
Many effusive greetings on both sides
and then the walkabout (hmmm —- exercise)
The event that made my day —- my week!!
Catherine —- Power —- Woodmason
—- Dorset —- Short —- Central
Variously Streets and Roads and Avenue
Here is my home space —- my home place
where i can show you any number of interesting things
explored at some depth over the years
But going walkabout with Jess was a whole new dimension
You just might be surprised at what you can see
through the nose of a dog!
Haiku and its Place
Haiku is stark work!
Words slashed down to the bare bone!
Arrow piercing deep!
Haiku takes you deep
HERE Discover deepest YOU!
Pulled into yourSELF!
Come little fishes
Come impale cut-open hearts!
On these diamond barbs!
John Cranmer lives in Boronia on the outer edge of Melbourne. He is as a Uniting Church Minister (somewhat retired) and, in collaboration with Denham Grierson, has recently produced a collection of poems, Walking on Bones.