MONOTONY

tweet, cheep, chatter, chirp

burr, crack, thud, clunk

flapping, napping

swearing, tearing

the sounds

of summer

come at me

in stereo

***

birds in trees

feeding, flying, flittering

in the leaves

a grey monolith

rising from the rooftops

looming over the trees

both stare at me

daring a response

***

the mint wafts

into my nose

the basil intrudes on the left

the aroma wars have begun

***

pink

purple

red

orange

green beneath my soul

under my hands

under my eyes

the daffodil high in the sky

***

we see with

two eyes

hear with

two ears

smell with

two nostrils

we touch with

two hands

walk with

two feet

Breathe through     

two lungs

yet we eat with one mouth

feel with one heart

birth with one womb

***

to live

is stereo

left

right

weakness

might

surplus

and there is need

but there is only one world

and we are all one race

***

and the race never ends

and the race is never won

and the race is never lost

***

hard

soft

light

dark

reality

dreams

nature

sythetics

synthesized

into a mono track

one reality

one mind

one body

life as we know it, Jim

Australian Politics

I attended a couple of workshops on adapting Shakespeare recently. The first (with Sapidah Kian) was focussed on creating a piece of physical theatre. The second (with Mark Wilson) was a broader, conceptual approach. During this one we had some time to do some writing. Here the five little ambiguous scenes I wrote. I call it 'Australian Politics'.

SCENE 1
A: It comes.
B: It can't.
A: Too late. It comes.
B: I'm not ready.
A: What do you need? It comes.
B: I don't know.
A: Prepare. It comes.
B: You must stop it.
A: I can't. It comes.
B: How did it star?
A: You were there...and now it comes.
B: What should I do?
A: There is nothing you can do. It comes.
B: When will it get here?
A: You don't know?
B: Do you know?
A: I know it comes.
B: Is that enough?
A: Enough for now.
B: Is now enough?
A: Enough for who?
B: You.
A: You?
B: I need more. It's too soon.
A: Will it ever be the right time?
B: Never.
A: Forever.

SCENE 2
A: Who's turn is it.
B: I threw last.
A: But I threw first.
B: That is irrelevant.
A: We must count backwards.
B: We don't need to go back that far.
A: We must see the whole picture.
B: Just be in the moment.
A: How will we ever know we are right?
B: How can we be wrong?
A: I don't know what to do .
B: We can't just do nothing.
A: But what if we make a mistake?
B: Hesitation is a mistake.
A: Care is required.
B: Stillness is death.

SCENE 3
A: Where are we going?
B: Where are we now?
A: We're not where we were supposed to be.
B: Where is that?
A: Not here.
B: You are here.
A: I am not staying.
B: Where are you going?
A: I don't know.
B: Then how do you know it's not here?
A: What's not here?
B: Whatever it is you are looking for.
A: Who says I am looking for something?
B: You do.
A: I am looking for somewhere.
B: Where are you going?
A: I don't know.

SCENE 4
A: Look at that.
B: What do you see?
A: Can you see it?
B: Point to it.
A: It's there. See?
B: I can't see anything.
A: Open your eyes.
B: I'm scared.
A: You don't know what I am pointing to.
B: That's not what I am afraid of.
A: What are you afraid of?
B: I don't know.
A: Take a risk.
B: Can you die of fright?
A: Can you?
B: My heart is racing.
A: You have nothing to be afraid of.
B: You don't know that.
A: I know you are afraid right now.
B: Yes.
A: If you open your eyes you will see there is nothing to fear.

SCENE 5
A: Just what I was looking for.
B: That's mine.
A: Have you bought it already?
B: Not yet.
A: Then it's not yours.
B: I had my hands on it.
A: Now I have my hands on it.
B: Be a doll.
A: I am nobody's puppet.
B: Let go.
A: Make me.
B: Is this how you behave in public?
A: Is this how you speak to an adult?
B: I want it more than you.
A: How can you possibly know that?
B: It will look better on me.
A: I am not buying it for myself.
B: You are not buying it at all.

Hamlet's Rap (in 3/4 time)

Verse 1

Brother tried to shut my ride

Trifle is what he said

Toy in blood, said I lied

He wished the romance dead

Weigh the cost, your honour lost

Lose your heart, your bed

Desire will kill with one shot

Fear dear sis he said.                          (No More)

Now you dread, reps are smear’d

No hat upon my head

Hell-boy now, see us here

You laying on the bed

Blood all round, children live

You roast my wrath instead

Our parents gone we share this cheer

Take arms and meet the dead.               (No More)

Chorus (female)

How should I true love know?

Dead and gone, still a maid

Up he rose, with no clothes

By cock he is to blame.

Promised me rings of gold

Young men they lie for shame

Words be breath, breath be bold

My lust bleeds through my pain.

No More

Verse 2

Sleep in death, dreams may come

When shuffling off this world

Whips and scorn the fair doth strum

I did so love you. Word!

Don’t believe when I speak

“I love you not” I hurl

Why would you breed to cheat?

An arrant knave I churl.                         (No More)

Play the fool in my house

I give a plague, the price

Chaste as ice, pure as louse

The payment comes up thrice

Monsters mate while passion burns

My madness will suffice

Wed you not on my return

Though bleeding love entice.                  (No More)

Chorus

Verse 3

Mother smiles, father gone

Mischief plays the devil

Poison laughs, deed is done

Puppet strings are evil

Start murder, cry revenge

Hell breathes out dry weavils

Drink hot blood, reprehend

I will be cruel and revel                            (No More)

Daggers speak using none

Incest’ous fun ‘tween legs

Death becomes your wicked tongue

Our bloody deeds leave dregs

Wretched fool wring your heart

As falseness rots your weds

Claim your fire at the start 

Stewed your own misteps.                      (No More)

Chorus

Verse 4

Heat and flame, ulc’rous place

Corruption lies inbred

Infects unseen ev’ry face

Confess or you’ll be dead

Repent the past, do it now

Avoid what lies ahead

Assume virtue somehow

I must be cruel, blood red.                       (No More)

Bad begins, worse remains

Wanton cheeks show your mouse

Break your neck, use your brains

I cannot trust this house

Trust, it wears adders fangs

My own petard is hoist

Lugging guts, bodies hang

Our future’s no rejoice                             (No More)

Chorus

Coda

Loved you mum. I’m your son

You left dad when he died

To bro’s bed you did run

This sin you cannot hide

Lia dear, your chasteness fast

Can no more you rely

And your dad too is past

It’s time for you to die.