It is nearly dark

[Pages:217]It is nearly dark when I come to the

Indian Ocean

The collected poems of

Joyce Lee

Artist's Proof

Copyright ? Joyce Lee 1965-2003 No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, or photocopying, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN 0-9750604-0-6 Edited and published by Stephen J. Williams. Artist's Proof, April 2003.

Book and cover design by Stephen J. Williams. The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Connie Barber and Jordie Albiston in editing and proofreading this book.

It is nearly dark when I come to the

Indian Ocean

The collected poems of Joyce Lee 1965-2003

It is nearly dark when I come to the

Indian Ocean*

Foreword....................................................................................... 12 Light from the dark side ............................................................. 17 Sisters Poets I | 1979 ......................................................... 22

Step ladder to heaven.............................................................. 23 My father's country ................................................................. 23 Firebell for peace..................................................................... 25 Veteran ...................................................................................... 26 Wimmera child's first waterfall ............................................. 26 How we killed and buried him .............................................. 27 Anatomy of a martyr............................................................... 28 Voices from geriatric places................................................... 28

Little flower song................................................................ 28 Song without words ........................................................... 29 Abruptly from the flatlands | 1984 .................................... 30 Double woman ........................................................................ 31 According to the stars............................................................. 31 My own ..................................................................................... 32 Mad dream in Melbourne's lunch hour ............................... 33 Signed by the artist .................................................................. 34 No companion for Adam ...................................................... 35 Collector's item........................................................................ 36 Nightmare for middle-age...................................................... 36

* Poems are printed here in the order in which they appeared when they were first published in book form. Poems that were revised and republished in a later volume, appear only in their latest version. Footnotes are used to explain any points needing clarification in the poems. Numbered endnotes, which are always attached to titles of poems, refer to the `Notes on chronology', providing what information is available about the order in which the poems were written.

It is nearly dark when I come to the Indian Ocean

The bird won't die................................................................... 37 Cry the son ............................................................................... 37 Prisoner ..................................................................................... 38

Margaret Clitherow Pearl of York.................................... 38 Catherine .............................................................................. 39 Richard.................................................................................. 39 Victim.................................................................................... 40 Arenas ................................................................................... 40 In the punishment cell--Port Arthur.............................. 41 From silence ............................................................................. 42 Coldest night of the year ........................................................ 42 Then shall the eyes of the blind ............................................ 43 Straight from Isaiah................................................................. 44 Witch and partner.................................................................... 45 Heir to a barbarian .................................................................. 46 The dig ...................................................................................... 46 Earth as it is in Heaven........................................................... 47 Double wedding....................................................................... 48 Miss Dimsey ............................................................................. 49 Portland..................................................................................... 49 Pianist for the flicks ................................................................ 50 Minna in my grandmother's kitchen .................................... 51 Calf twins from a train............................................................ 53 Two women.............................................................................. 53 Round or square peg............................................................... 54 Lesson learnt ............................................................................ 55 Bel canto ................................................................................... 56 Mentor's bequest ..................................................................... 57 Clown perspective ................................................................... 57 It is nearly dark when I come to the Indian Ocean........... 58 From a distance........................................................................ 59 Mandala ..................................................................................... 60 More voices from geriatric places......................................... 60 Moving day........................................................................... 60 It depends............................................................................. 61 Season's end......................................................................... 62 Diminuendo......................................................................... 62

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Joyce Lee

Five years safe .......................................................................... 63 Transubstantiation................................................................... 64 The past walks noiselessly...................................................... 64 I heard the laughter ................................................................. 65 Bringing dreams to work........................................................ 66 One fixed belief ....................................................................... 67 There's more ............................................................................ 68 Night in the Rockies ............................................................... 69 Stirrer......................................................................................... 69 Parts for a player...................................................................... 70 End no end............................................................................... 71

1 ............................................................................................. 71 2 ............................................................................................. 71 Plain dreaming | 1991 ....................................................... 73 Round the tramlines .................................................................... 74 Songs in stillness...................................................................... 74 Car week.................................................................................... 75 Friend in a taxi ......................................................................... 76 Bunkers and hazards in a back lane...................................... 77 For Norman ............................................................................. 78 Practical chemist...................................................................... 79 Death of a hat .......................................................................... 79 The pharmacist ........................................................................ 80 Getting the sewerage money ................................................. 81 In the garden ............................................................................ 82 Through the cracks...................................................................... 83 Buffalo U.S.A........................................................................... 83 Manning Park in The Rockies ............................................... 83 1 ............................................................................................. 83 2 ............................................................................................. 84 From the dark .......................................................................... 84 Turning point........................................................................... 85 Directions for a pilgrim.......................................................... 86 Keeping on ............................................................................... 86 Lifeline....................................................................................... 87 Survival...................................................................................... 87 Catastrophe............................................................................... 88

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It is nearly dark when I come to the Indian Ocean

To Eve and Adam ................................................................... 89 Brainwise................................................................................... 90 To my left leg ........................................................................... 90 On the axis................................................................................ 91 Looking into light ........................................................................ 92 Dancing class............................................................................ 92

Teacher ................................................................................. 92 Minuet................................................................................... 93 Shannon Falls Canada............................................................. 93 The living church..................................................................... 94 Ranakpur temples.................................................................... 95 Yellow waters ........................................................................... 96 Dubrovnik ................................................................................ 96 Grand Canyon.......................................................................... 97 Havasu Falls......................................................................... 97 Flying out ............................................................................. 97 Bogeyman ................................................................................. 98 Out ... ....................................................................................... 99 Looking into light.................................................................. 100 From imagined histories....................................................... 101 Waters ................................................................................. 101 The conference.................................................................. 101 At La Terrasse ................................................................... 102 Freedom writer.................................................................. 102 Dvor?k's mother ............................................................... 103 Tragedy by the Dead Sea ................................................. 103 Water from the underground tank......................................... 106 Child to grandmother ........................................................... 106 Grass and blue and the underground tank........................ 107 George Freeman and the steam engine ............................. 109 Miriol ....................................................................................... 110 1 ........................................................................................... 110 2 ........................................................................................... 110 3 ........................................................................................... 111 4 ........................................................................................... 112 5 ........................................................................................... 112 6 ........................................................................................... 113

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