December 13th, 2022Local lines
Escape
by Jan Price
What is that
out there in the night
this side of that far field’s fence
where searchlight-lightning strikes
like a tossing military helicopter
over and down the backdrop mountain
stressing tall grasses whip whip whip
to strobe damp-yellow to dance
demented unable to flee their roots?
A chain of many follow
at single-minded pace
without detectable rush or debate
as if Gladys Aylward leads
a hundred orphaned children
through cutting chill over land into hills
covertly escaping the roaring enemy
ploughing trees down like a madman’s army
pounding earth rising water
mid-air out of a paddle pond
tearing snatches of moon to shreds
out there in the night
out there on this war-wild night.
Machine-gun wind rattles this roof
as a lightning fist assaults the earth
sets fire to gumtrees daylights the sky
trembles this glass out of its frame.
There they are! There they are!
A line of black-maned wood ducks!
Oh! How instinctively clever not to fly
not to fly out there in the night
out there on this ravenous night!
- Jan Price
Jan lives in Ballarat and her poetry and cover-artwork continues to be published
in Australia and the US. ‘Escape’ won first place in the Port Writers Open
Literary Competition in Port Macquarie this year.
- Local Lines comes mainly from a group of local poets but other submissions
are always welcome. To have a poem considered for publication contact Bill
Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.co
