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Waterfall

February 10, 2011 in W

By Brent Caldwell


If I was a cliff,

blue sky, ragged clouds & a waterfall

would be nothing but a mirror

washing over me,

the rush of water nothing

but a celebration.

I’m an artist & its not that easy.

Paintings are like rocks –

they only tell me what I am. I need

the sky, the clouds & the waterfall.

So tell me I’m a beautiful woman

coz the beautiful people got it easy.

Once I made you blush –

My breasts were fuller then;

I had Justine. Your mother thinks

I’m trying to seduce you now.

But I like you standing

on the edge of the waterfall

gazing to my soul through your feet.

Dance & feel like old lovers.

Tell you my mother was strong

So I needed to feel I was weak.

Now Justine is a beautiful woman

but she like my mother is strong.

You tell me your mother is proud

& you needed to feel you were making mistakes.

Still you haven’t told me I’m a beautiful woman.

But I like you standing

on the edge of the waterfall

kissing me with your feet.

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Monopoly

November 16, 2010 in M

By Brent Caldwell


Playing Monopoly with Veronica and Jaya while the others played soccer, I had the upper hand with only Mayfair and Park Lane. Veronica was grumbling that I’d fleeced them when we’d exchanged properties. I assured her that she would get her chance for revenge.
That evening playing with them and Michael, Veronica started coming out on top with the same properties, so I smugly wagged my finger “I promised you’d get satisfaction”. There was a pause then Zen and Jane erupted with laughter. Even Jaya chuckled that it was a Mohammad moment, alluding to the Prophet’s proclivities in taking an under-aged wife.

At 1st, I was shocked; their laughing at such a taboo. “You know what I mean”, I bleated. I covered my eyes with mock-embarrassment and blushed. Oh the horror! I had after all befriended my missus while she was under-aged and she’d moved in after she’d come of age. I tried to hold it in, still with blinders on but they only sobbed more, until I was crying heartily too. Zen said “we shouldn’t be laughing” so we coughed sternly and started playing again. Veronica was on a roll with lucky cards and me, the bank, handing out the dosh. I whined that I was feeling like her private banker and everyone was side-splitting again.

Andrzej had just come back in with his pipe and was puzzling how we could have so much fun playing a game which, for him was a dark outlet. Good that no one enlightened him as he was immensely proud of her and fiercely confided later that he would read the riot act to any boy blah blah blah.

The next day, Veronica was grappling with more important things, begging Andrzej and Jane not to have to wear Andrzej’s clunky Saloman’s to school. Her own stripy sneakers had been deemed by a teacher to be an OH&S hazard but Veronica was mortified at the certain death she faced from her friends. He promised to buy her more girly shoes that day.

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Supermarket

May 24, 2010 in S

By Brent Caldwell

Collingwood around Safeway’s such a melting pot, bad buskers, bus stop tirades and sausage sizzles outside the TAB. I like it but occasionally there’s real poetry.

A few weeks ago I saw this drunk with blood on his head stagger away from a car groaning & bent over like he’d had his leg run over then another drunk staggers over, kicks him in the head, blood spraying and he looks like he’s ready to deliver the coup de gras. Passersby are dumbfounded. One guy yells at him and he staggers off. I cross the road to check out the guy on the ground. Someone must’ve called because an ambo quickly rolled up.

In the checkout today, the guy behind me said goodbye to his 40ish friend who went out the entrance. Then he asked me whether he could queue jump me – he only had one of those cling-wrap cakes with loads of plastic cream. The checkout girl scanned his cake and he said as he gave her $10 that he also wanted cigarettes. She asked whether she could check his bag and found a 6-pack. He said he’d just paid for that. He was stringy, also maybe 40.

Then she asked if she could check the other pocket, he unzipped and she pulled out a hot chicken. I was annoyed I’d let him in front but caution ruled. She asked him to produce a receipt but he assured her he’d bought it an hour ago. By this time a security guard was standing by who asked him whether he still wanted to pay for the chicken. He suggested the guard could maybe give it to him for half price. He must have figured he had a better chance with the guard than the girl. The guard smiled. Then the guy asked for his cigarettes so the girl asked him what brand and he said Double Happiness. The guard went and asked the other guard approaching whether they had any Double Happiness and he said no. By this time, the guy left with his bag and his beer, minus the chicken and his change. An expensive plastic cake for $10. I opened my bag for the girl so she checked it out and told me to have a nice weekend. I liked that.

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