Waiting for Hazel (2004)

There will be no baby baby
today baby baby,
our waiting is long
while we sing out our song
Oooo! baby baby
show yourself baby baby!
soon! baby baby oooo!

Grandmother says
windy weather has blown the stork away
we cant keep ringing up
she says
the baby won’t come any faster
she says,
babies have their own time
she says
she tells how her own magic mother
calculated babies into the world
with a mathematical equation + two weeks
she was spot on for all the babies.
but the magic died with her
now we have to measure time
with the fall of pink lace bark blossoms
plop! plop! plopplop! plop!

Doves drank at the frog pond
bathed in the lily pots
made war -
then peace -
then war again.

Those in the crow tree discussed their day
a willy wag tail looped in the air
seized supper for her babies
grey balls of gruff stuffed fluff.

Bougainvillea faded crimson to papery grey
jacaranda wept purple pools around our feet
stag horn grew new leaves like baby hands extended
agapanthus spears exploded floral fireworks
and we waited
Oooo! Ooooo! Ooooo!

Bones lay unbitten
while the dog heavy lidded listened.
the factory door rattled out an empty room echo
the bored whine and clack
of suburban trains set sharp against
the warning bells hysteria.

End of day light filtered
tropical green through bamboo leaves
families of scarlet parrots
headed nestwards on the sky ways.

Acorns began the summer swell
the figs plumped
ducklings hatched
basil grew and grew and grew
blue skies blued down blue and blue and blue.
Oooo! Oooo! Oooo!

While we waited.
Oooo baby baby
while we waited
and waited
for you.