Category: Rituals

Writing –
everyone thinks they can
travel stories the exemplar nadir
a cycling saga once read
London to New Zealand
via Iran, China, Vietnam, the Nullabor
I awake – tired and dehydrated
I pedal, hot countryside, headwinds, vindictive bureaucracy
I feel exhausted into my tent –
for 300 pages.

Poetry,
an industry with more producers than consumers
the webpage gave advice
and
a list of sympathetic publishers
small
art-house
looking for difference, for originality
submissions – twice annually
double-spaced – Arial or new Roman 12 pt
response time
3- 6 months dependent on volume – could be longer.

One publisher offers choice
   1) as above – and wait until contacted
or
    2) take a sample of work to nearest bookshop
remove all clothing
proceed to read out loud.

“Our representatives will appear shortly – they’ll be wearing blue.

An old family business
fourth generation
it hadn’t been present at the town’s birth
but watched it grow up
find its way in the world
become a city.
Returns were solid
not exciting, even to accountants
but the real estate was
not quite yet …… but it would be …… just wait.

Corporate predator
asset poacher
showing the money – sign where?
Great grandson took the loot
the staff weren’t needed
but the parent company could absorb them – no payouts then.

A payout was just what he wanted
would solve his mortgage
he could finish his degree – on hold for years.
The takeovers sent him to interviews
for six months, he practised insubordination
living an applicant’s dream
being smart arsed and lippy
determining exactly what they sought
and speaking precisely the opposite.

The employer blinked
he got paid out
none of the others did.

Catholic
my upbringing – very
dense layers of prohibition
punishment – eternal
for pleasure and non-compliance.

Stern priests
severe nuns
eager to please parents
misbehaving in church…. the greatest sin
murder pardonable, divorce not.

Easter
church on Thursday night
Good Friday, for three hours
Saturday vigil
High Mass on Sunday
was the chocolate worth it?

Everything obtainable
or alterable
by divine intercession
or petition.

He was a cousin
twice removed
motor vehicle….. collision life … in balance
one of three.
No one knew
none of the experts prepared to prophesise
only time will tell.

A prayer vigil
attendance not mandatory but essential
I am 17
newly consorting with science
I am not convinced God
would choose to meddle in our affairs.
The priest is tired and weary – conscripted,
neither is he.