from Crying In Early Infancy
16
Sex chemistry is elegant and subversive, like
how it comes crawling out of a hole where
the idea of ‘Christine’ swallows itself
and suddenly begins to bother everyone –
she’s heavy, hot off the Paris plane
with her handbag full of perfumed machinery,
with her waterfall of blonde hair blowing
with her embrace for Tony and Louise
especially Louise with whom she has been
intensely in love for centuries
and just like a snap election
the two of them – silly buggers,
they should know better – Chrissie, her machine,
Louise and the hostess kiss and fall in love.
John Tranter
For many John Tranter (1943-) is the most professional of Australian poets, his long career being very productive and very consistent. The two early poems chosen, this week and next, are written with his hallmark confidence, zest and bite. (Friends have been known to term him most affectionately as the Honorary Consul for the New York School.)
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