Title: Mum

Author: Jane Gardner

In: Sport 18: Autumn 1997

Publication details: Fergus Barrowman, April 1997, Wellington

Part of: Sport

Keywords: Verse Literature

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Sport 18: Autumn 1997

Mum

page 37

Mum

I heard she'd shifted
to Brisbane. Queensland. Left wind, rain,
a bag of my childish rubbish
for dust, sweat, mosquitoes at five o'clock,
suburbs of no footpaths. When she

was here, she always seemed inclined
elsewhere. Facing the sink, hands awash,
her legs were up for grabs, my head rested
on her spine again, again
she heaved me away.

Once, my radar caught her
at twelve o'clock, back to me,
stopped by a shop window, butt
lower, less accessible than ever. Ever
was the time before birth. Knowing

now, I had to move on.