2020

JANUARY BEGAN SO WELL,

WHO KNEW THE YEAR WOULD BE SUCH HELL.

FEBRUARY WORRIED US,

WEARING MASKS A DAILY MUST.

MARCH SET IN AND LOCKED US DOWN,

THE EERINESS OF NOT A SOUND.

ANZAC DAY AND EASTER DISRUPTED,

THAT WAS APRIL DONE AND DUSTED.

MAY, I REALLY CAN’T REMEMBER,

WEEKS AND DAYS A BLURRED AGENDA.

IN JUNE QUEENSLAND TOLD US WE’D ALL SINNED,

THOUGH THEY LET THE FOOTY PLAYERS IN.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA SLAMMED THE BORDERS SHUT,

BUILDING A WALL THEY THOUGHT A MUST.

JULY LOCKED VICTORIA DOWN,

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THE PEOPLE FROWNED.

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER GONE,

OCTOBER GAVE US HOPE ONCE MORE.

NOVEMBERS PROMISE OF VACCINES,

WE HOPED WE ALL WOULD BE REDEEMED.

BUT 2020 JUST KEPT ON GIVING,

COVID SEEMED TO KEEP ON WINNING.

DECEMBER CAME AND RUINED CHRISTMAS,

TO THE MANY HOME IN SYDNEY.

WHO KNOWS WHAT 2021 WILL BRING,

THE OPTIMISTS ALL SAY WE’LL WIN.

THIS YEAR HAS PROVED TO ALL ONE THING,

THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR FRIENDS AND KIN.

FIONA

ODE TO NURSES

ODE TO NURSES

WILTING UNDER THE GLARE OF A WAGING WAR,

WEARY FROM TOO MANY WAKING HOURS,

YOU WANDER THROUGH THE HAZY WILDERNESS,

LACK OF REST YOUR “NEW NORMAL”

MASKING YOUR TIRED BODY,

 A DISHEVELLED FACE IS SCARED,

YOU PERFORM UNSEEN HEROICS,

BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO BE REVERED,

HEROES PROTECT AND PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE,

SO MUCH FOR SO MANY,

BUY YOU NEVER COMPLAIN,

“IF NOT ME, WHO?”

YOUR PAIN IS SEEN, YOUR RISK IS FELT.

NURSES ARE OUR NEW HEROES

FIONA

MEMORIES

REMEMBER THAT TIME WE WENT TO PARIS?

REMEMBER THAT TIME WE WENT TO ITALY?

REMEMBER THAT TIME WE COULD VISIT GRANDAD WHEN HE WAS ILL?

REMEMBER THAT TIME WE COULD FREELY ROAM THE STREETS?

REMEMBER THAT TIME WE COULD CROSS STATE BORDERS TO REACH A HOSPITAL?

REMEMBER THAT TIME WE COULD HAVE THE WEDDING WE ALWAYS DREAMED OF HAVING?

REMEMBER THAT TIME BEFORE PREMIERS BECAME DICTATORS?

MEMORIES, SUCH A GLORIOUS, LOVELY THING.

FIONA

EMPTY SPACES

THERE’S AN EMPTY SPACE BESIDE ME,

AS I LAY ALONE IN BED,

A SPACE ONCE WARM AND TENDER,

A PLACE YOU LAID YOUR HEAD.

 

THERE’S AN EMPTY SPACE BESIDE ME,

AS I EAT MY MEAL AT NIGHT,

WHERE WE LAUGHED AND TALKED TOGETHER,

IN THE EVENINGS FADING LIGHT.

 

THERE’S AN EMPTY SPACE BESIDE ME,

AS I WALK THE GARDEN PATH,

OUR HANDS NO LONGER CLASPING,

IT’S WRONG WE ARE APART.

 

MY HEART IT’S  NEVER EMPTY,

IT’S A PLACE YOU ARE STILL NEAR,

YOU’LL ALWAYS BE BESIDE ME,

TO WIPE AWAY THE TEARS.

FIONA

CHILD OF THE NIGHT

BLACK IS THE NIGHT,

DARKNESS, CONJURING MAGIC.

A SILHOUETTE OF CREEPING SHADOWS

LOITER HARMLESSLY IN THE SURROUNDS,

FAMILIARITY WITH THE EBONY NIGHT

SPARKS A JOIE DE VIVRE WITHIN ME.

WITH A HIDDEN FREEDOM, I DANCE,

A SEDUCTIVE UNSEEN DANCE,

 CLOAKED BY THIS DARK MANTLE.

FEELING RATHER THAN SEEING,

DARKNESS, THE LIGHT OF THE NIGHT.

FIONA