Breathe

brokenchurch_april2011_0447

There’s a lady with coloured birds
who knows how to breathe
long and deep
from head to toe
all through her body.

She told me it’s easy to take the
thoughts and put them aside
good or indifferent, stressed or
restless and
just breathe

in and out watching the breath
aware of the presence
that keeps us alive
taking in the oxygen
forgetting all else but this
breath.

She tells us not to sleep
as we become aware of each toe
and each part of our hand

And our chests rising and falling
our thoughts are not welling up stillness
except for the breath.

But someone is snoring because
she has become so calm
but that is alright too
as she is free for a moment

from the broken tarp rooves
wind gusts
rubbish
insurance companies
quotes
and all that interrupts
the breath

And she breathes…

In goes the pain
but out comes a dream
a dream of a calm sea
and a green rainforest
but she must let go even of this
future dream
and breathe.

Sinking in as she leans
on a chair and feels all the tension
drift away
fall away and she can fly
in a way
she can swim in a way

With the breath . . .

By June Perkins

Hot Day Jazz

Trumpet Boy 92013-05-011

With the current heat wave on in Brisbane and several parts of Australia, it seemed like a good day to share this poem.

Hot day like a trumpet blast
of melodic riffs that rise but
never quite fall;

each note finally dripping into
a sweat drop
going flip flop on
the pavement.

Overheated notes trying to
keep the jazz afloat
fingers that won’t stop
pushing the buttons
in the search for cool.

Calling out for the cool change
seeking the release from the water key
brass melt away
hot day.

Trumpet make the people
rain dance
pump the pavement
with their call for cool.

(c) June Perkins