Buffalo Grass


We took it in turns being Indians
on the Great Plains
of Bickford St,
Richmond,
South Australia

Ironically
the Front Lawn
was Buffalo grass.

Sharp as dad's shears

summer evenings
baretopped or singletted
we whooped across prairies
on imaginary mustangs.
through the heart with a Winchester,
we died tragically,
instantaneously,
bloodlessly.

And resuscitated in the prescribed twenty seconds.

Later, lacerated torsos
itchied in the bathwater.
dad's pennance to genuflect and
tame the prolific edges with superannuated
sheep shears.

He civilized the prairie by pushmower,
sweating summer salt
while we perfected
our own somersault.

The buffalo grass
an organic tumbling mat
to add spring to cartwheels
-Keep to the middle- !
rock edging circling like the sharks
we feared at West Beach

Later, the Early Settler bought a
Robin-Hood-green electric rollermower with
Webb written on the side in
flowing red and gold cursive.

And summer holidays stretched ahead
infinitely
as the shepherd's delight
sundown
over the shoestore
on Marion Road.



Heads in the clouds
(the road to Emmaus)

Children’s souls are sympathetic to the Elements..

A windy day
fractious, hyperactive
niggly.
Like birds before a storm.

After lunch
The wispy bank of clouds from the Gulf
blows across the Ranges
over the mortgaged houses..

The skylight frames
a corner
of sky.

As the pushing/shoving gaggle explodes into the room..

LOOK!
A five year old voice thrills.

Smokelike, wisping trails
Overhead Teutonic Window
Wind’s eye
Virtual Reality screen

They lie on wriggling backs and watch in wondering awe as trails of vapour dissipate against a square of blue in the ceiling
While i improvise on Emin7 and Amin7 and call it Music for Watching Clouds By.

The guitar finishes.

Silence.

Infants mesmerised.

Becalmed.

i join them on their backs on the carpet
watching the exhiliration of the Commonplace
through their unwearied eyes.


rob walker.




Both of the poems above were published in UNO
- A Poetry Anthology, Verian Thomas (Ed.), Comrades Press, UK, 2001


Here’s a small selection of the 90-odd poems of Rob’s which have appeared in poetry web-zines in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, UK and USA:

Rob performs regularly at Adelaide’s Friendly Street Poets

Rob’s poem “On first looking into Chapman’s fritz” appears in “Another Universe: Friendly Street Poets #28 (Ed. Kate Deller-Evans and Steve Evans), launched at the Adelaide Festival Writers’ Week, 2004


He always appreciates comments and feedback on his work.