Poems
-
What has been said by many and has often been said
By Pascalle Burton, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lipsafter Cicero’s first and second speeches on the Agrarian Law
I
stirring up trouble -
sometimes feels day and sometimes feels night
By Andrew Galan, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsTrapped in this cement and brick and gypsum and nylon work
not compressed unmoving but walking and walking and walking
finding repetition or transient newness at corners but no exit
-
for Hansie
By Helen Franzmann, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsI’ve often wondered about the
soft rumble that occurs when you laugh
washing you now I understand -
She had a ‘Zest for Life’
By Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lips, Maddie NixonThe secret of longevity is to eat
an incredible amount of meat
and surround yourself with colourful
characters in defiance of the fates. -
Afternoon at MM
By Nicole Smede, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsA glider hangs
Bobs above rock and shrub
South side
Breeze on blades -
clowder loop
By Raelee Lancaster, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsIn Japan, the Community cat – or Chiiki-neko – has no owner
but is collectively beloved.
Beloved sees you open heart / hearth / hand: Bastet’s stalwart -
LIZA MINELLI TURNS OFF A LAMP
By Maddie Nixon, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsLife is a cabaret
My wife is a Cabernet
Dance is a pas de bourrée
The literal French-to-English translation leaves more questions than answers -
Assembly
By Vidya Rajan, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lips1.
The bell rings.
We march into the yard -
neat hair, neat knees, -
A Recipe
By Jacob Polley, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsOften, an old book, where recipes were written down, or another person who still holds a recipe in their head, is the best source for a recipe. The Raymond Chandler Omnibus, blue cloth hardback, 1944, too mildewed to keep. A person with a recipe could be anyone. What they look like won’t show if they have a recipe or not. People can surprise you w… -
Throes
By Kate Lilley, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsThis world is a ball – give it to me
or take it from me (if you can).
Quick, quicker, quickest,
all the parts of speech apply. -
The Appointment
By Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lips, Vidya RajanYou must sit.
You must attend.
And make the pledge.
Ensure you are certified. -
I Love You (they do not exist)
By Tamryn Bennett, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsDesert is a childhood
how we bury time in sand
hands born to excavate
impale, inhale a fetish, hide -
never ask me to perform that part of the ceremony again
By Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lips, Kate Lilleysleep by pressing a tiny button
to take away the pricking pains of the side
the green toothache
all blue spots or marks that happen therein -
RISE — inaudibly, repeatedly
By Ian Gibbins, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsOn Monday, they largely, chaotically
ANNOUNCE
ARREST
BEGIN -
How not to boil an egg
By Hadley, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lipsegg hash with kimchi juice (nb spoiler alert for season 8 of Law & Order: SVU)
1. get 2 big eggs from a carton with a photo of a dog on it, the dog’s name is Pope and the marketing would lead you to believe that Pope is the legal owner of the chicken farm, the chicken farm is in Goulburn, the dog is a wealthy land owner, the dog minds the chic… -
I’m bored… but you like it, don’t you?
By Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lips, Sawako NakayasuWhat if a film never reaches the screen because viewers walk away?
– Susan Howe
I don’t want to feel like a tourist. -
all the while, trying to start the engine
By Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lips, Helen Franzmann(for Jupiter)
between waking and sleep, two switches flicker
connecting stop-starts from Life and Now -
Your efforts are truly appreciated
By Dan Hogan, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsThis permanent job has passed over to the other side
of austerity. Budgetary measures a perfect line of bugs.
To hug a short-term fiscal plan through the long cold night,
a terribly windowless must-have and must-do supersedes rest. -
Inverted Weather
By Toby Fitch, Vacant Dragon à la Subverted LipsA car in front of you jumps out of the road like an orca and lands on its back
Kisses a spider’s web in the dried-out garden bed beside the train track
-
Side Dish
By Vacant Dragon à la Subverted Lips, Eloise GrillsI’ve opened the no-name Australian Grated Cheese (made from Australian Milk) too early, like a cheesy patriot who sets up camp in the dark for another dawn service. Snacking is hard to avoid once a plastic seal is broken. Now I have to open the weekend wine on a Tuesday night, then I’ll preheat the oven. I’m making my mother’s special dish—a four…
