Sad news creeps its way
into the magic of trees adapting to seasons
or the mystic tide drifting in and out at will,
and reminds us they are merely a process,
a repetitive, dull, inevitability we cannot control.
It turns George Clooney into George,
a bloke who gets seeds stuck in his teeth,
stubs his toe on a coffee table
that will one day be chucked in a skip
when it is no longer needed.
Sad news outlines the cost of an easel,
the recommended retail price of oil paints
designed to celebrate the beauty of a hilltop
most people drive by on a Bluetooth work call.

Carl Burkitt 2024