That Day

That day when we ran into
watch tv
the black and white of
Sesame St
now full colour

was jump up and down on the couch
joy.

That day when someone looked at
me and said
you can’t talk to me
you are not my friend

was tears.

That day when my friend
made a necklace for me out
of fimo and it was frangipanis

the past was lost
and part of me was healed.

That day when someone tried
to break into our house
and our friends arrived
before the police did
and stayed to make us tea
when the intruder was taken away

was scarier than a cyclone
and preparation.

That day when I found out
I could write and research
the rest of a history story
I had been waiting to do so for
twenty years

was a story saying
I bless you
to share me.

That day I told my story
about Yasi
to help others
I began to let it go.

(c) June Perkins

Unforgettable – the poetry of memories

My daughter chatting with Isobelle Carmody after attending the Write Links Mini Fest.

Reading a quote from Cathy Freeman at Soul Food, Milton.

 

Catching up with friends at a Baha’i history book event.  Book Club plans!  Hope to start this soon.

 

Working on poems at the Queensland Art Gallery in preparation for Words and Pictures.  My daughter takes this lovely photograph for me.

Soul Food Event, Bardon.  Seeing a friend’s new baby.

With my friend Chikako!

 

Attending Sprout Sunday and reading poetry with children and families and spending the day with Renee Hills.

 

 

Meeting the author of Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton

With one of my poems at the Queensland Art Gallery! Exciting times.

In a Gentle Way Shake the World

June Perkins ©

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
–Mahatma Gandhi

I matched this quote and image, because the gentle art of henna, can be a way for people to spend time together to build friendship and community. We had a henna workshop recently, which uplifted all who attended. Whilst we learnt to apply the henna we talked about traveling and feeling connected to the world. There were many nationalities, experiences, cultures and spiritual backgrounds in our gathering, and in our diversity we also felt oneness and unity.

 

This month’s contribution to Nineteen Months, for more visit NINETEEN MONTHS

A Day to . . .

On the River, by June Perkins

A day to paint
the colour splashes
and reflections
in the buildings across the river.

A day to look
in the water
for ripples and memories
of people who travel up the river.

A day for friends
who paint or play music
and help to bookend
the day in the feeling of friendship.

A day to sniff out
a creative on the way to
discover a muse in a flute player
followed by birds in a gallery.

A day to dream of cloud pianos
and fog flutes
bringing all the world together
in a rainbow of sound.

(c) June Perkins, words and image.


This is what I wrote for this image, what would you write?

What would Emily say?

The creek is still here
skeleton bush returns bit by bit
but the swinging tree of the waterhole
is gone.

The tiny blue trimmed butterflies hide
with the dandelions
gold and brown ones nestle deep into the green grass
capturing them with camera leaves them free to fly.

Why do some children take the red nets
and break the wings of such beauty,
why can’t they let them be?

Two friends sit at a round table
discussing Emily Dickinson
and how she had to speak to others
from another room.

She needed so much room to write her words
still she hid them away

Butterflies hiding in the grass
sing of Emily
and wonder what she would have
made of cyclones.

(c) Word and images June Perkins