Margaret Ruckert
Tiny mind crimes
1.
a man struggles with a milk crate of books
down a main road and through the door
of a wine and tapas bar
any witness to this travesty of sense
would say What the …
another look reveals
it’s a second-hand book shop …
the former name still on the window
2.
thoughts gather like journalists at a crime scene
people live inside their thinking, sure of this
as an oyster is sure of its shell, a clam its pearl
thoughts gather like beach scavengers
they choose the glossy, the unusual, the unique
so get your eyes off my body
3.
half-imagined scene at Maroubra
skeletons of trees are silent witnesses
to daily parking dents
a woman reverses her car and runs over a child
no one wanted
4.
a local football club advertises live piano
– I want to see the match made in music
5.
the only thinking
a couple had in common was their degree
does it count for anythink now?
6.
to sustain visual interest
every orchestra should have an eccentric
with an asymmetric hair-style, a blonde
7.
stiletto heels
keep us on a high
till at some point
there’s a fast descent
to stiletto hell
8.
hoot of a café
toddler rampaging on tiles
Come over here
Come on or I’ll count to 5
Hayden only counts to 3
9.
two to share
one dessert spoon
sticky date
10.
you browse the shelves of a hardware barn
where to start on sealants, silicones
pick up pamphlets on solvents, adhesives
with one child glued to his phone
one day the boys will love this place
fireproof cement, interior timber, poly
it’s like a treasure trove
in a squeezable tube, coloured caulk
another child busy texting
gap filler acrylic, high stress wood glue
I’m glad the family’s stuck together
formic acid as hardener, roof/gutter glass
suddenly daughter’s interested in language
‘Dad you need one of these liquid nails’
geez, it’s the one thing I don’t need
11.
e–piphany
hard disk freeze
12.
apple pie
without custard
reminds one
of a yacht
in dry dock
13.
mind crimes might be mind crumbs
but they serve up with cream
14.
More crumbs:
give up your seat like the sign says or giant ants attack from below
e-pocalypsed – you’re swamped by the next wave of technology
electric car? I want mine elastic
counting back from ten is one way to get nowhere
writers with the help of the space bar are already on their way to Mars
press any key? have they calculated the risk factor?