Sport 18: Autumn 1997
Mum
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.