Late again Blenkinsop?
What's the excuse this time?
Not my fault sir.
Whose fault is it then?
Grandma's sir.
Grandma's. What did she do?

  You inspired me, he says. Pretty cool, huh?

Uh, I guess.

Ms Hardwick showed me your assignment. Magnificent!

Dada has stories from Calcutta
wrapped up in his big belly.
When he belched they would unravel.

Bring on your shining armour, dude.
I'll be your damsel in distress with attitude.

Now we're up on the edge

and over, on the mountain

with mountains beyond. Behind us,

            in the dark

of the valley, villages are embers

His name is called and there's a pause

just long enough to halt a war

tame timber wolves and trim their claws

hide diamonds in a secret drawer

Your mother made me

write this

just in case, she said,

which kinda freaked me out,

so I said to her,

Da Man is fine, babe.

I know you don't get it

the pleasure I feel

when I push down the pedal

the turn of the wheel

the buzz of the sander

the whirl of the drill

I am the word juggler.
I juggle the words
like swords.
I slice sense
with poetic license.

Catfish
take catnaps on seabeds
Sticklebacks
stick like glue
Terrapins
are terrific with needles
But what does a didgery do?