Inspired by aspects of The Great Zoo, by Nicolas Guillen
Sarah Salway‘s writing class
Elements of psychology…let the pen reveal, a little…
Kindness
Hides at the back of the cage,
secrets itself in the hollow
of rocks, caves,
tastes of roses and whimpers,
fades in bright sunshine
yet spills into rivers.
Drink with care!
Tea cup
A rare combination
of cup without matching saucer,
cup with a chipped handle,
always the memory
of the collision
which fractured porcelain,
led to an even more delicate grip –
thumb and forefinger
pinching together for tea.
Caution: hot tannin!
Parasol
The compound is bordered
by ditches on a high hill
the breadth of the parasol’s shade
beckons all to shelter
from infra-red, ultra-violet,
shifting in the breeze
like a settled butterfly’s wings
yet rooted through its base,
the scent of jasmine –
a siren, nymph
calling all to rest
in the languid heat of day.
Do not enter – keep away!
Compost bin
Difficult to see, to notice,
camouflaged among other exhibits
in this cage: angled rock,
trees, food trays…
occasionally its gurgling
catches the breeze
lifts a heavy, heady scent
of decomposition
of methane, leaves a stain
in the air for a while,
traceable, signalling
party time for the spineless.
Do not digest. Eat less!
Avenue
Featured in a national park
bordered by acacias –
strong, yet delicate, trees with thorns –
a route through dreams –
the beginning and the end of stories
dependable, day or night,
all the colours of the sun,
half the colour of shadows,
it only wants you to breathe
through the length of its metal,
to inhale new futures
over millennia of travel –
it draws you to an end
but, unlike a mirage, never dies.
National speed limit applies!
Oak tree
Unmistakeable this exhibit
but we wait, we wait
for the first sign of an acorn.
Caution: foragers!