#128 Kevin Brophy 'Rain from here to Melbourne'

#128 ‘From here to Melbourne’

Rain from here to Melbourne.

Canada’s forest towns on fire.

Everything’s sodden or melting.

The children are shivering

dreaming of a picnic with jam

and damper, hot billy tea

and cordial out by the oval.

Rain from here to Melbourne.

Fires doubling overnight in Canada.

Children dreaming of a day

when books will talk to them

and the phones will answer.

Their fingers are on fire with cold.

Everything’s sodden or melting.

The shopkeeper’s bogged halfway

between towns, the youth worker

can’t find anyone young enough

to count. Children dream of their dogs

and winter frogs, police with tightly

printed forms and burning icicles for eyes.

The damper will be soft and warm

the tea a black and boiling mystery

the neon orange cordial sugary

as summer light.

Rain from here to Melbourne.

Fires eating Canada tonight.

Children rugged up dreaming

of books getting up and talking

to them of all the stories needed

to keep a fire burning in them

to keep the deep rain soaking in them.

Rain all the way from here to Melbourne.