by Andrea Travaglia
Photo by Andrea Travaglia
Reeds lean in at the water’s edge, listening to the bunyip’s breath.
The pulse of the billabong
moves in the crease of mud
before dusk.
Will the river speak through the reeds’ thin bodies?
Green and slender, the path runs through.
I walk alone.
Overhead, branches lift the harsh glare from my eyes.
The air carries leaf-heat and distance.
Memorial trees stand together,
each one a mark, a name, a life
held in living wood.
This is what care looks like
before it is measured, trimmed,
made vulnerable.
A place making room
for grief to rest at the edge of things.
So I keep walking,
both strong and fragile here.
Andrea Travaglia
Andrea Travaglia is an emerging multidisciplinary artist with a background in archaeology and natural and cultural heritage. Her reflective writing explores how value is assigned to places, objects and stories. She considers personal and collective memory, environmental change, loss and belonging.
Photo by Jonathan Travaglia
See other “Park Poems” in our series
Make a submission for our “Park Poetry” series. Contact Deb Stewart: poetryintheparklands@gmail.com
