WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT (E A D G B D#)
When the sun comes out. I hadn’t realised did been missing it. I didn’t know I was cold.
No one told me to put shoes on. And I wouldn’t have even if they had.
When the sun comes out I never want to leave. It makes me sad to think of what will be lost.
To feel like I’m turning back on everything and everyone.
When the sun comes out I almost laugh.
Sitting in the driveway, I take my shirt off and watch cars go past.
TO PLEASE YOU (E A D G B E)
Flowers sway so softly. It brings tears to your eyes. They do not move to please you.
Moonlight shines so clearly. It makes you feel so exposed. It does not glow for you.
I know how you must feel. Don’t it sting?
When the wind blows. Like a friend laughing in your face. It does not blow for you.
They do not move to please you.
HERE WE ARE (D A D F# B E, capo 2)
Here we are. All this
time. It hardly feels.
Ride the stars. We don’t get far. But it is real.
I’m glad I didn’t get what I asked for. Because I never knew what I needed until it fell in my lap.
Here are we are. An empty night. For us to take.
What we want. And what we need. Because it’s the same.
I’m glad I made a promise because it reminds me.
When I feel the world turn away I have everything.
I’m glad I made a promise because it set me free.
And when I see the stars in the sky I know exactly what they mean.
IT FELT LIKE THE WORLD JUST GREW (D A D F# B E, capo 2)
What a racket you guys made last night.
Running through the window, I may as well have slept outside.
And I woke to glowing and yellow gleaming skies.
It felt like my head might burst.
I did my best to keep myself upright.
While slowly but surely the morning caught the sky.
While more importantly your symphony held its tune.
It felt like the world just grew.
It’s just big enough for us to do what we have to do.
WE COULDN’T HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE ELSE (E A C# G# B E)
From here it’s hard to tell if there is surf or isn’t. If we dawdle we’ll be late, if we rush we’ll be too early.
If we miss it altogether, at least we’ll be together.
If we just lie here forever, tracing the path of the sun.
I see shadows moving but I cannot keep up. If it wasn’t for the sunlight the shadows would be fucked.
Reflected on a picture, I cannot remember why I cried.
It danced along the ceiling. It felt like I was healing.
While something else was leaving.
Chasing the path of the sun. Like a zipper zipping the world undone.
Watching the colours change. A moment is all it ever takes.
We watched it through the trees as the sky turned navy blue. Eaten alive by mozzies, I was holding hands with you.
And I wondered who put these chairs in the middle of this hill. But they couldn’t have been anywhere else.
We couldn’t have been anywhere else.
COME MORNING (E A D G B E)
Come morning.
Like a great flood flowing into the night.
The moonlight through the window keeping us awake.
Swimming through empty through frozen in time.
Only the glow of the streetlights to keep us warm.
Like a knock on the door, now you are certain.
You might forget the idea but you will remember the feeling.
Come morning.
I SAW JULIAN ASSANGE (E A D G B E)
I saw Julian Assange driving a Volkswagen Caddy. On the side panel it said: Handyman 4 U.
I saw Julian Assange. He was travelling northbound and took the first exit at the roundabout on Beaumont Street onto Dumaresq.
I saw Julian Assange three days later. In the queue at Coles, I was sure he was
next to me. Last I heard he was in the Ecuadorian Embassy. But that’s so 2019.
And now I need a haircut.
Because I’m afraid he knows my secrets.
And he’s going to disclose them to the government.
I don’t even know what they would do with them.
THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND ME (D A D G B D)
We can let go of our leaves and still be evergreen.
It’s not urgent but we can’t wait too long.
Forever seen as something else.
Never to be seen at all.
Let’s not do that anymore.
We can be blown in the wind and still be unwavering.
I can’t save anyone but I can show how not to.
Those who understand me know I’m full of shit.
We can let go of our leaves and still be evergreen.
NOW IT’S MY TURN (D A D G B E, capo 3)
I’ve been dancing to your songs all day. Now it’s my turn to sing one for you.
Exclamations carried off by the wind. We could never play it the same.
Sand in my ears, mud in my toes. Reel me in and don’t let go.
Reel me in and don’t let go.
SPOOKED (D A D G B E, capo 2)
Spooked; late in the afternoon. Spooked; glow of the sun in the gloom. Spooked; shadows dissolve and quake. Spooked; I think I’ve made a mistake.
Spooked; dwarfed by her towering walls. Spooked; lonely now they’re gone. Spooked; I don’t know where to turn. Spooked, I’m spooked.
Spooked; spooked when I’m holding on. Spooked; spooked when I let go. Spooked in bed on a windy night. Spooked when you’re not by my side.
Spooked when I’m not with you.
Spooked when I’m not with you. It’s true, I believe we both could be happy.
Late in the afternoon. The glow of the gloom, shadows on the move. I dance on the sand to the loneliest tune. I’ll be with you soon.
Spooked when I’m not with you, I’m spooked when I’m not with you.
I just realised we both want the same thing.
Have you realised we both could be happy?
SHOOTING PAINS // ON THE THRONE OF TEN THOUSAND BAGELS (E A D G B E)
Shooting pains.
In perpetuum.
Last night.
No sleep.
In memorandum.
Of loss.
And living.
In humility.
Rivers surge.
Waves crash.
Last night.
Your friends.
Were here.
Sometimes I look for your reflection in the mirror to check if you’re really there. Satisfied, I try not to wake you as I tiptoe down the hall.
In humility rivers surge, waves crash. Last night your friends were here.
We’re all tired at the moment. Beady eyes a sign of the times.
On the throne of ten thousand bagels. I hold a cradle for the loneliest hearts.
The path unravels as you sleep. You wake up. It is just long as it needs to be.
* * *
the yard is
full of hardy
and loud weeds, all others
have bowed out on
their frailties account. i
hear springs tether
escaping with-a-whip
the last intricate loop.
whoever( hushly intoned
that you were exempt )did not
have your lovely body’s
best interests in mind. your
lovely body dying even now.
see! look and catch
it doing so. all around
endless, catalogued
exquisitely, light-wise
bodies - each with their
own meagre craft shining
through the shift of nimble
hands. gold spurs. the
brands of eager life,
a set-sliding path spawning
onwards. there is no
bowing out only bowing
all ways in. with
above as so below,
the grub the grass the
trees complete the ring-a-ring
of posies we pocket
while worming-nub entreats
the green mass ding-a-ling
do just its spring-socket
thing and perform a proud round
of lockstep. the roll-a-door
derailed, coming groundwards
dislocating in a wincing heap,
not far to see now
how we all fall down.
* * *
GNATS MINDLESS
BUSYNESS
MILLING FOUNTAIN
IN THE SUN ALIGHT
AND SHINING
UP AND DOWN THE
TREE
TRUNK
Ivan
Gorgievski is launching his new book of poetry, 'half turned to eye a
bird', tonight (13 April) at Good Brother Espresso Shop. He will be
reading passages from the book as well as a live set from radarbackwards
whoops I mean e4444e. Lovedavid and Amy will be catering the event. Free entry!
I HEAR FOOTSTEPS (E A D G B E)
Green glows against the low grey sky. Flowers grow where there were none before.
Yellow and purple and orange. The smell of wet grass runs gently through your nose. It has always been familiar.
Mud on your heels, licking your legs. Who was the first? Who will be next?
Two in the front; too late to tell.
Building and rising and crashing. It breaks on the shore and runs through your bones. And it always has to happen.
I hear footsteps and I see footprints.
I am following you. I am with you.
IT IS TIME TO GO (D A D F# G D, capo 2)
Somehow still a moment too close.
I can feel your breath.
Like a dream, it is beautiful.
But it is time to go.
I SHOULD HAVE PUT MY ARMS AROUND YOU A LONG TIME AGO (D A D F# G D, capo 2)
A shadow growing. A moment returning. A Zero Moon singing.
A path unravels every night. You wake up. It is just as long as it needs to be.
And as you come to me.
I am standing on the shore of loneliness. I’m sure you’ve been here before.
Every night you feel it pulling closer, deeper.
You are glowing. I can hear you tearing holes through the night.
I should have put my arms around you a long time ago.
PASSING, RECEDING, RETURNING (D A D F# G E)
You heard it before it made a sound. You saw it before it took form. You were gone before I woke up.
Passing, receding, returning.
Before you spread your wings and turn in the wind. Before you float away on the king tide of the full moon.
Passing, receding, returning.
PIECE OF A PIE (E A D G B E, capo 4)
A piece of a pie.
The first time in a long time.
Quietly, I sigh.
And look to the sky.
The sun is high.
Surf
Market
Surf
Jam
Walk
Pizza
MANU’S NEW CAR (D
A D G B E)
Will we ever grow out of buying second-hand cars?
Sick of being fucked over by people who can afford new ones.
But from the grass on King Edward Park, Manu’s little white sedan looks alright to me.
It could just be the gold and blue glow of an early Autumn afternoon, though.
WAITING FOR MY BOY TO COME BACK TO ME (E A D G B E, capo 1) When will my boy come back to me? I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to sleep. ...
