Birds, Perching
i
Because it is bent,
the stalk of the agapanthus
is a perfect perch
for the fantail, which alights
beside the mauve flower-head.
ii
Clamping itself
to the slim shaft of the now
swaying arrow
bamboo, the grey butcherbird
outside my writing window.
iii
That abrupt upward
movement of the tail feathers
to check and balance
the bird as it hits the branch—
the kookaburra’s air-brake!
iv
When the second
magpie landed, the first one
spread its wings and
fanned its tail to maintain its
balance on the wobbling wire.
Absence
These indentations
in the granite by the pool
declare the absence
of the women who made them
long ago with their grinding.