Title: Sport 16

Publication details: Fergus Barrowman, March 1996, Wellington

Part of: Sport

Conditions of use

Share:

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Sport 16: Autumn 1996

Kate Camp

page 3

Kate Camp

Unfamiliar Legends of the Stars

The wind turbine propels a sky
fighter grey above.

The tallest angel’s head
curved the night.

A liquorice cable
wires hand to mouth.

Proud magpies
raced the dawn home.

Asphalt remains lively
weeks after its laying.

The water-girls laughed
and were exiled.

Things happen
and are wrapped in newspaper.

A seamstress sewed a spirit
from a bird’s skin.

I put a ring around your name
and circle the globe.

page 4

In Your Absence

In your absence
I stubbed out my arm.

Parcelled myself off
to various chaps.

I put the dog’s head in a bucket
and she barked my shin.

I put my head down, received
brief papery epiphanies.

Enjoying a thermos of tea
in the Australian Garden

I thought—this is very fine, and—
no one is coming to rescue me.

page 5

Sleepers

In a distant but amicable imitation of lovers they sleep
Parallel as tracks and as likely to touch.

Over their heads
Litter bags flutter filmy white.

They pass by several cemeteries
Above clay steps an arch reads DAMIEN.

At the backs of lives are washing lines
Sheds of garden implements.

Sometimes mushrooms grow by the tracks
Once, a blackberry smears the window.

He wakes up one eye at a time
Lurches away down the thin aisle.

She reads the classifieds
Births. Deaths. Notices. Signs.

She looks out ahead
Her eyes racing the lines.

page 6

After the First Dream

The first dream was
to reach thirteen,
adultery and all its privileges.

Sometime, disturbances came.
In the mornings they hung on
damaging the day.

The first dream had a house with
varieties of animals arranged
by the heater.

She was an architect
carrying translucent plans,
designing a house with turrets.

He brought newspapers
and there was no edge about him.
His walk measured the air.

Their clothes
of finest suede
had the nap of skin.

After the first dream
the car came
wheeling the night.

page 7

Exchange

Magnolia heads turn away
a card reads—
I’ve been working my arse off.
I stand, scanning the box for more.
There are nubs of blossom
and a fly enacting
a round-about
version of summer.

At the Post Office
I use a pen chained like a plug
to address my usual gurgle
maybe suck you in.
I send it
to a photograph of you
crowded by monuments
at the start of your winter.

Room

Wind was hard up against the house
sucking doors, irritating curtains.
Naked bodies cocooned
hoping their clothes were pegged on tight.

She went out
leaving the earth
one foot at a time.
She glimpsed herself

page 8

wrapped around cars,
visiting windows briefly.
She passed by painted rails
yarding off the street.

There was a smell of sleep.
Gusts pushed sheets, they sailed
flapping like insects
billowing into brief pillows.

The bed was soft and dewy
she covered her face with her arm
leaves dressed her hair.

She dreamed.
Before it ended
they came for her.
She woke from
a hotel with
a half-moon bed
and a swimming pool
shaped like a guitar.

She said: I am ready.
I want to be arrested by Helen Mirren
then I will give my words
in evidence
more true than ever before.