Past houses,trees and grazing sheep,
I race and rock and sway
and I say to the track of strong, firm steel
that likes the sound of a hurrying wheel,
I’ll soon be back,
be back,
be back.
by Anne Bell
Ann said: Goodness gracious me…this was first published in The School Magaz Circa Yonks AD when that journal was edited by Lilith Norman and still in black and white mode.
THE CARETAKERS
I went to the house,looking for a man to build a fence
knowing nothing of him,except that people said
he built good fences.
His garden warmed July’s cold hills,
but there was nobody there,
save a peacock,a scarecrow and a fine, grey mare.
I found nobody to build my fence,
but I think I’d like a man
who left his home to the care
of a peacock, a scarecrow and a fine, grey mare.
Anne Bell
First published in The School Magazine.
EVENING IN BERKELEY
Late sunlight tight-ropes across roof-tops
and maple trees finger a no-colour sky,
searching for not-yet stars;
on the side-walks
ginkos let fall their memories of summer
for the wind to riffle through,
and the scent of pancakes and coffee and chilli con carne
comes hurrying down the street.
Somewhere, out of sight,
a saxophone stands on tip-toe for a note –
and the thought of tomorrow sings in my heart.
Anne Bell
A version of this poem was first published in “The Voice” (NSW Speech and Drama Assoc.)
Kevin Smith’s Dragon
You wouldn’t think, to look at him,
that Kevin Smith has a dragon for a pet –
he says he has –
keeps it in the garden shed
and feeds it chillies and onions and very hot curry –
he says he does –
Kevin is teaching the dragon tricks,
it will sit up and beg for Brussels sprouts –
he says it does.
Pets aren’t allowed at school,
but still, he’s going to bring it in one day –
he says he will –
but he’s waiting till it’s really tame,
and he has trained it to stop ripping with its dreadful claws,
and lashing people with its scaly tail,
and burning curtains with its fiery breath –
then he’s going to bring it in –
he says he is.
Anne Bell
First published in Celebrate (Triple D Books)
TWO THOUGHTS FOR PAULINA AND WILL
1
The seamstress sea edges the beach
with a trim of lace,
then quickly takes it back again
to sew white ruffles on the breaking waves.
2
There can be no finer meal than this —
fish-and-chips on a sunlit beach
with you–
and just a pinch of sand.
© Anne Bell
The Possums of Pittwater
The possums are holding a ball on the roof
the noise they are making is positive proof.
They are dancing the samba (ole and caramba!)
the one-step, the two-step,
the waltz and the you-step,
the quick step, the trick -step,
tarantella and tango,
and just for a lark, the gum-tree fandango
(But never the fox-trot. No. Certainly not.)
Line-dancing or ballet, it’s nothing to them
– a possum’s jete is really a gem.
But sometimes I wish, in the midst of their romp
(boogie, mazurka, rock-and-roll, saltbush stomp)
they’d put their boots back in a neat cardboard box
and dance for a while in their sneakers and socks,
©Anne Bell
First published the NSW Department of Education School Magazine
Butcher Bird in Drought Time
Three notes he sang,
three lonely limpid notes
to the arid sky;
green as hope they were,
clear as mountain air
and sweet as water falling.
Keep them as a sign
that he will sing again
in other springs
as green as hope,
as clear as mountain air
and sweet as water falling.
© Anne Bell
First published NSW Department of Education School magazine
Australian Children’s Poetry 