Almanac Poetry: ‘The Call’ – Tommy Mallet.

 

The Call

 

Their farm sits in a saddle up back back of the valley rise,
where gully heads fan under dense bush,
feeding creeks, rivers,
in the flats bellow.

 

Snow gloriously fills the spilling rock peek
looming over them twice a year.

 

 

A lovely couple, old,
with wry grins,
he does computer programing on the side,
in his shed attic,
above the motorbikes.
She’s a social worker in town.

 

“We fumble forward,” she chuckles,
drinking red wine.

 

 

They don’t deserve me bringing
the pretty, strung out junkie I’m seeing
to work today,
a nothing Sunday,
in which time stops,
and room for lazy chats over ute trays abound.

 

 

 

Yet, “No worries” they shrug and smile and keep to
themselves,
as the girl dags about
with my dog
on the flat I’m working hard.

 

“Let me help,” she says,
but the only jobs there involve muscle,
sweat.

 

Why? I think.
Be who you are.

 

 

She meanders so well.

 

“Nah, kick back,” I say,
over my shoulder,
bringing the mattock down.
“It’s just good to have you about,”
I lie.

 

Work’s my time,
If I go hard enough, there are no thoughts,
everything simplifies.

 

She concedes before my words are out,
melting onto the grass,
in rare, perfect autumn sun
and cloud,
using her arm as a pillow,
watching bees hover and shift,

 

telling me things,
junkie things,
which both help and hinder loneliness’s call.

 

 

More from Tommy Mallet can be read Here.

 

 

 

 

More poetry from Almanac Poetry can be read HERE

 

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