DOES THE SKY BLEED
Do stars tremble in
the face of the wind
does the wind roar in
the face of the star
if you fall upon a
star
what if you land on a
point
who decided a star had
five points
who first drew a
five-pointed star in one continuous line
do you remember how
hard that was
what if the sky was
granite
what if it was galvanized
leaky tin
what if all the birds
took to the sky at one time
would it just be a
traffic jam or would they eclipse the sun
what if the sky was a
crow’s wing
‘raven’ (it’s not the
same bird) always sounds so much nicer
the sky would be a
satin shelter
what if you dream your
room has separated from your house and is spiralling
up into the black sky and
now the walls are disappearing and your bed is going to slide
out into the
night into space would you be singing twinkle twinkle little star
what if you are in
your pyjamas on the stairs and they separate from everything
and fly up into the
sky and you are sitting on the edge of the first step
and the bannister has
gone
is reaching for the
sky an unachievable unrealistic goal
why do they say reach
for the stars
that’s a big reach
it’s not like getting
a dish off a high shelf
who washes God’s socks
is that when it rains
is falling through
space like almost drowning
is falling through
space like drowning only faster
if the sky fit
would you wear it
midnight blue
a wattle bird nests in
a drought-thwarted tea tree
when I walk past it
flaps its way out
cuts a line through
space to a higher point in a nearby gum tree
does the sky bleed
when a eucalypt pierces it
is that why the sky
turns red as the sun goes down
does the sun get a
sinking feeling
