Read Licorice Poetry by Charmaine Thomson Page 1




  Licorice

  Poetry by Charmaine Thomson

  Dedicated to DP, who encouraged me in the first place

  and got me interested in Douglas Lilburn.

  All rights reserved

  Published by Charmaine Thomson

  © Copyright 2012 Charmaine Thomson

  All words by Charmaine Thomson

  Graphic Design by Anne Johnston

  mailto:[email protected]

  Cover Image from Dreamstime

  Section Images from YouWorkForThem

  This book is available in print from Charmaine Thomson

  mailto:[email protected]

  ISBN 978-0-473-20750-2

  Thank you for downloading this free ebook.

  Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author

  and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

  Thank you for your support.

  Contents

  1.

  Licorice

  Underwards

  Graduate house

  Where will you go now?

  Variation

  The piano stands up straight

  The penitent ring

  El muchacho perdido

  El Puente se lamenta

  Sustained silent reading

  A side of polite

  2.

  From the mezzanine

  Frivolity

  Equilibrium

  Driver safety

  Como la lluvia

  Come here you say

  Arohata

  Being smug

  Asylum

  Waiteata

  Año Nuevo

  Stealing Hyacinth

  3.

  Paper planes

  Surfies and yachts ornament the harbour

  Ode to the pigeon

  My green coat

  Lonely planet sex

  Iroquois ANZAC

  Ella lo llevé al océano

  Heliotrope

  Geography

  The birches are thieves

  Panama Street

  Solo

  About Charmaine Thomson

  See poetry by Charmaine Thomson at:

  1.

  Licorice

  Unprepared, you made the tea

  Your hair towel-bound

  I couldn’t wait to get started.

  What was that half diminished again?

  We pause for biscuits and mark time.

  Liszt on the wall and cushions on the bed.

  I mapped your body

  you unveiled your hair.

  Flatmates complaining about my car blocking the driveway

  We hid in the loft all afternoon,

  leaning into the windowsills.