Monday, November 7, 2011

Poems by Shane McCauley


                                                     IMPOSSIBILITIES
                                   ‘Something totally unexpected, like a barking cat.’
                                                                                          - Mary Oliver

                                               The sun burning in a night sky
                                               a dream from which
                                               you cannot waken
                                               breathing deep within the sea
                                               a heart that beats and will not die
                                               a tide that does not return
                                               paper and straw
                                               that will not burn
                                               passing yourself coming back
                                               from some intended destination
                                               some lack of sin
                                               that leads to retribution
                                               finding flowers that shouldn’t
                                               bloom in winter
                                               learning that so much beauty
                                               can’t outlast the spring
                                               walking along an endless shore
                                               thinking that life
                                               should somehow provide
                                               one lifetime more.

                                                                    - Shane McCauley


                                                       CHILLI CRAB

                                               Muddy torpor of island water
                                               lapping the pier
                                               froth frisking in the shadows

                                               city-island a boat ride away

                                               but here within the veranda’s
                                               blister of sunshine
                                               delicious mess of crabs
                                               cold sweating bottle of Tiger beer

                                               and later
                                               replete
                                               such a glory of returning
                                               the dolphin-boat

                                               leaping over so many mirrors.

                                                                      - Shane McCauley

Shane McCauley is a well-published Australian writer who lives in Perth. He has published many books of poetry with Fremantle Arts Centre Press, Platypus Press and - recently - Sunline Press. He is also a well-known and much respected writing workshop coordinator, TAFE lecturer and teacher for OOTA - Out of the Asylum - a writing group based at Fremantle Arts Centre.

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