In the country

Before I went to the shop I found a book of dreams

curled in my letterbox.

When I read it the corners of my eyes prickled.

Tears rolled out and surprised me.

Walking to the shop I looked up and saw the clouds had written an L

— the first initial of the book’s author.

At Coles a customer

wrote down the name of a friend.

for the I AM IN TRAINING PLEASE BE PATIENT check out girl

to look up on Facebook.

No one minded.

I live in the country.

On my way out I saw two firemen going in

and an old man with his shoe laces undone.

He combed his hair and put the comb in his back pocket.

In the car park the fire truck took up at least four bays.

It advertised a $50,000 reward to dob in an arsonist.

Crows call out at any time of day.

Every afternoon

a trickle of discharged water runs through the car park into the drains.

I like to walk beside it.

Step over it.

Let my eye rest in its silver wet.

It’s dry-dry-dry in the country.