One of my climate poems in the second edition of Finding My Feet an anthology of poetic voices, editor Dorothy Poulopoulos, MPU 2026. Must put it in a new book, been going around for a while.

13

Thirteen seconds of rain fell today
some sieve of conscience
enough to have a spider re set
a filigree of spent gossamer

either side the hours baked away
hardboards caked in a dust of flour
setting on the Mediterranean herbs
no longer happy this far south

we have aged beneath hats
unwashed to bare our tannins
tattoos run to veiny course
wiped clean in the mystery of towels

these delta maps pertaining
swing a mattock if you can
count out the longer shadows
of inky hot and blistered sweat

remember to listen to the drops blessings
choke down the boot polish of yoke
as you know deep in the strain of things
the time for talking is over

Finding My Feet An Anthology of Poetic Voices, Second Edition
Editor Dorothy Poulopoulos, Melbourne Poets Union 2026

This poem appeared in the first edition too,
the second edition adds a swathe of new poems from another group of writers.