Reader Submissions
Well-Known Corners of the People
Love and Lockdown
by
Vasilka Pateras
Quarantined playground
tape swinging in the wind
I catch my breath as I pass
walks by the Yarra soothe the worry
late night emails – someone to talk to
a plaintive poem about seeking solace in booze
walks by the Yarra soothe the worry
I sit on the chaise longue,
take my Turkish coffee
listen to the rain
think about psychoanalysis
“– II n’y a pas de rapport sexuel”*
two bricks crash down the chimney
break the silence – what does it mean?
walks by the Yarra soothe the worry
Spanish take-away - tapas and wine
will I keep the restaurants solvent
for a moment I forget the virus
crafts to keep busy
daughters knit and crochet
to mark time
walks by the Yarra soothe the worry
anger at the tv
overseas students told to go home
scrambles for goods in supermarkets
frays driven by fear
bricks caught in the chimney’s throat
a fire that cannot breathe
walks by the Yarra soothe the worry
*Jacques Lacan