Museworthy: Leaving the Window
"He would be guilty of murder
if at the time the deceased left the window
he had an intent to kill her
or cause her grievous bodily harm
or had acted with reckless indifference to human life."
Only a quarter of the world's leaves
fit in this corner of the window
where I huddle eavesdropping on my neighbourhood
A man screaming words; a woman screaming;
living rooms (is it with television or real life that the sound
is more likely to end somewhere?)
And how far does pain travel?
We measure... and measure again
the value of bodies; injury and suffering.
Distances between towns and the size of cities
(if not the enormity of their thoughts)
Leaving the window I turn my back
on the many small crying rains of history
Upon the recitation of stars.
On all of those falling with none to see
and wish upon them
Tomorrow in the street I will step over their bodies
never letting slip my heavy basket
Never taking my eyes from the sixth floor windows.
Taking my anger to market
Some days are simply spiritless
with no orders from the moon delivered by tides
and refusal by the sky to lie symbolic as a backdrop to the anger of women.
BY MTC CRONIN
MTC Cronin has had seven books of poetry published, the most recent being Bestseller (Vagabond Press, 2001) and My Lover's Back — 79 Love poems (UQP, 2002). After being employed for most of the 1990s in law, she has in recent years begun teaching literature and creative writing at secondary schools and universities. She is currently working on a PhD, Poetry and Law: Discourses of the Social Heart. Her books are available by contacting her at <margie_cronin@hotmail.com> or phone (02) 9550 2918.
From Green Left Weekly, May 1, 2002.
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