Poems
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Living Literature
By Jeanine Leanetrees are old stories
pods and seeds are words that grow
bark chapters fall to earth
turn to dust scatter and renew -
Urban Forests
By Jeanine Leanegrowing strong without notice
weathering each season
sheltering strangers shading streets
anchored deep reaching high -
Witnesses
By Jeanine Leanethink of the memory of trees
shedding bark in layers of memory
back to forest floor to the
underground story of deep time -
Hardwood
By Jeanine Leaneeternity is hardwood
worn only over time
by the touch of wings
the wash of rain -
Morumbeedja
By Jeanine LeaneMorumbeedja! Mother of all water
flood your waves of memory
over this land
story our Country again.
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Wisdom
By Jeanine Leanevision omniscient
listeners that never sleep
standing still growing quietly
speaking nothing storing all -
Hostages
By Jeanine LeaneThe kidnapped memories of
Aboriginal people are hostages
beneath this white settler mythscape.
Hear us now. Release our words. -
O Australia
By Jeanine LeaneO Australia I want to follow the transit of Venus/ sail around the corner of the world/ discover your terra incognito/ catch the first fleet/ get a ticket of leave/ take up land/ cross your great divide/ unlock your pastures/ dive into your jewelled sea/ Australia I want to chart an inland river that leads to your opal heart/ be a part of your Aus… -
Djiringanj Country
By Jeanine LeaneBundanon
The mist takes its time rising
from the mountain. A pathway
rambles along steamy fern -
Looking for Arabanoo
By Jeanine LeaneMidway between the Spit Bridge and Manly
on a sandstone overhang jutting like a rock shelf
in the heights of Balgowlah, two benches
look out between North and South Head across -
History
By Jeanine LeaneMelbourne is Naarm
her stories
are stored in melaleuca
etched in eucalypts