Trade winds bore
that especial scent
of news-from-afar and
exotica
of desert upon desert laid
bridged an ocean of strangeness.
Most obvious in the air, perhaps
sanctity,
then.
This silent deep kiss
louder than language understood
so too the
flickering desert eyes
camels spitting
sounds of foreign words
billowing fantastic colour, and
maybe
a fascinating dance of spirits
upon the periphery.
Metal
destined to be contorted waste, and
forest
large volumes laid a track
for feet
who had never known the walk,
the Ghan.
Bolts now rust
in the constant rasp of dust and
glass glints silently
in a passing desert sun
lumbering giants ship
from store to store
the trade of this age
along graded scores
along scrub and stony ground.
Timelessly, salt lakes devour
stranded life such as i,
in merciless beauty
of delicate hued crystals
capturing sculpturally the soul.
In a convolution of human will
in an epiphany
from out of dust
these remains of corroded track
of discarded junk collate,
shelter an emerging conscience
slow
as a snail from its curled shell.
Author notes
i have to admit i have cheated a little and don't mind disqualification, this is a poem i have written previously called "Trade Winds" but in honour of my personal favourite lines within it i have for the purposes of this contest given it a new title, which, i think, changes the emphasis but you may not agree... it is not my intent to cheat, nor to gain points nor to 'win' the contest, merely to present this poem in a new context which works well for me. do enjoy.it is a description of the australian desert country around the oodnadatta track, quite a beautiful place, if a trifle dusty.
A contest entry
- Dust by Cannonsfire.
650 points, ended March 28, 2008, 16 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
enjoy
Comments
-
You describe a dusty part of Australia very well, the fact you have been honest and admitted it was already written yet you edited it to fit this, doesn't faze me, its very well done. Love, C
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