Epilogue to Ceremony

 

 

We found a dream of you       in the rockpool all fringed with grass

            where the water moved           of course         womb-like       

contracting      in these undulating circles                  spiralling

            through a season         of stars            stars                 stars

                                    from the inside out

                        an ode to your journey home             to your journey here

to the red belly black snake    who arrived before you           a messenger

                                                come to tell us of the dew

                                   while the tree bones and mine 

                        grew heavy with you

 

                                 I wish I knew the word for every fish            

                       that bathed in that current too

            who swam alongside the winding edge of unending riverbed 

over mussel shells about to birth their pearls 

            on a wreath of silver lustre

                        

                        once the scribbly gums knew your name       and how to say it         

                   without words             without wind                    

             you landed here                     atop the range             

      with smoke     and spirit balm            and bush

           naked of shadow in the scrub

                  unravelling myths from the land

                        with your love and my hand.