Title: Sport 37

Publication details: Fergus Barrowman, 2009, Wellington

Part of: Sport

Conditions of use

Share:

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Sport 37: Winter 2009

Helen Rickerby

page 108

Helen Rickerby

When the lights go down

One
I can't be sure, but I think
it was my first time

in the dark, while the white snow beasts yowled
my mother at my side

Possibly I fell asleep

It was for my brothers really
I think my mother wore her white coat

Two
It seemed unlikely that it was my first day of school
but this was later confirmed by reliable sources

There were lions and elephants
and someone rolled Jaffas down the aisle

I guess it must have been educational

page 109

Three
My first time alone, I was already twenty-two
I went in the afternoon

It was disappointing—
a lust-piece for the beauty of youth and Tuscany

very nearly put me off Jeremy Irons forever

Four
The longest was a three-at-once
or rather, one after the other

Water, Snow, Blood
My intermission burger was mundane

When I came out, it was raining
and already twilight

page 110

Chris's life, as directed by Ken Russell

Ever since Ken Russell started directing my life
it's been one explosion after another

And one morning I woke
to find an anteater on my chest
tearing at my throat

'That's the anteater of self-doubt,'
explained Ken, who was standing
beside my wardrobe just out of shot

Helen's life, as directed by Christine Jeffs

I spend a lot of time in the bath

or else
contemplating water

Drowning is an ever-present possibility

As I meander soulfully through the pines
I am grateful

for the sunshine

and the soundtrack