Rob_Schackne

Avatar

Rob Schackne #8 – Insomnia

Insomnia

They walk at night
in this old cottage
above in the rafters
a ceiling of riches
below the floorboards
where it wasn’t buried
they whisper in the wall
it was taken from
some call them ghost
or possums strolling
the length of the house
north to south and back
ask if they’re friendly
the hurt feelings
all in a dream
what do they say
I listen to them chatter
of poison and regrets
it was a gold town

Rob Schackne #8 – Insomnia Read More »

Rob Schackne #6 – Home Before Daylight

Home Before Daylight

Fallen, whether failure or loss
the centre never held, now
that your name is invisible
the numbers are many—

dirty jackets, unscrubbed faces
getting home before daylight
sunflowers without any sun
screaming at what isn’t there

watching the short ride
fast approach the ground—
good that you have company
good the dark one’s not interested

Rob Schackne #6 – Home Before Daylight Read More »

Rob Schackne #3 – The River

The River

Today he wrote a river
its eddies wore strange marks
on a flowing page, boulders
semi-submerged like hymns
the banks were huge, the plains
went on for miles of words
oddly discernible, then not—
balanced an enormous sphere
that was empty of meaning
overseeing the asemic, but
not nothing, not nothing there
a peace, a better silence
we wrote it together.

Drawing “Oggi ho scritto un fiume” by Enzo Patti (2021)

Rob Schackne #3 – The River Read More »

Rob Schackne #1 – The Condition of Things

The Condition of Things

You could wonder

dogs are said to 

listen to music

loyally

though a bit blankly

to a shuffle of jazz

rock and blues and country

companionably

classically

sighing

occasionally

eyes closed

asleep at your feet

something captured

before it rains

perhaps dreaming 

of wild things

of poetry

many aspirations

another walk

something to eat

Rob Schackne #1 – The Condition of Things Read More »