Today we continue with more poems from Ali Cobby Eckermann’s award winning novel Ruby Moonlight, following on from Harmony published back in April, and two poems published in June.

The massacre has taken place ‘a young woman sits like a rock’

Shadow

this survivor is a libra
of the Shadow tribe

who have lived here
since time began

in their passing
will anyone notice?

Birds

senses chattered by loss
she staggers to follow bird song    trust nature

chirping red-brown finches lead to water
ringneck parrots place berries in her path    trust nature

honeyeaters flit the route to sweet grevillea
owls nest in her eyes    trust nature

crimson wattlebirds turn shades of green
blue wrens turn camouflage-brown    trust nature

pied butcher birds lay trinkets in her path
grey fantails flutter a soft revival    trust nature

apostle birds flicker on the edge of her eyes
emus on the horizon stand like arrows    trust nature

       the woman turns
follows the emus

Ali Cobby Eckermann
Ruby Moonlight
Magdala 2012