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ARTS AND CULTURE

Tossed salad state of mind

  • 29 April 2008

1. Disarming From one side of the partition she looked up from her tossed salad state and mineralised water world put down her implements and guided him a disarming smile. On the other side of the international cafe he was diverted from the impending roast and wiping red wine from his generous lips he mouthed sweet nothings in retaliation. Tim Heffernan 2. Looking for a name Alone on the platform waiting for the train, god knows who I am to be, from place to place, face to face: Inner Catastrophe seeks normal social chat, and involutes, and tumbles into terrible fear. ---------Holy fire, caught in the bush, I brush your cold white flame. This night, say my name, right into me, ------------again, for here we are once more, the prayer of confession, and returning, amen — David Hastie 3. Paris look at your bird face in the mirror of my hand under the light of a chandelier in Paris watch my marble face turn to ribs in the snow. David Murcott 4. Part-time job Salt on those? Eat here or take away? As if that refrain wasn't bad enough, To have to contend with a Sharp-eyed rodent of dubious intent, And his heavy-duty partner In sandwiches and wedlock, Who reach their climax in praise At 'That's no good.' After today I'm not going back. A simple resolution, Like a breath of fresh air. Heidi Ross 5. Heart remedy My doctor prescribed 50 grams of dark chocolate three times a week for high cholesterol. Get the fair trade stuff, she suggested. In the night I fumble empty packets from the bin, scribbling surfaces, where my pen tries to unblock other arteries. Steve Isham 6. Belonging In dreams, fish fly over the mangroves and speak to me of dominion. And there are other signs that I was born out of the womb of this earth: made up of vegetation, sea, air, dust. Light rears on its hind legs and claims me. This is where my skin sheds. Cassandra O'Loughlin 7. Old men play cards slap slap king of spades at the pagoda pavilion old men not much else to do huddle here daily alongside their tall murky jars of chunky green tea few get here early enough to claim cement seats with cold grey marble tops others carry fold- out stools some bring cushions the remaining balance their weight in the Chinese squat sitting their bums on their heels Jodie Hawthorn 8. Estate agent's snap On our first evening in our new house, empty except for us, we look from the spacious balcony towards the green-curving park. Just like in the estate agent's photograph, except that nine black curving overhead wires are strung from thick poles slicing through the view. They seem to have doctored the snap. Snip. And so proud of it, they've mailed us a poster-size blow-up of their three-snap ad. I may hang it on the balcony. Max Richards 9.