Lachlan Miles – Lemon

Lemon, my sweet

Pour yourself into me

Revel in the science of

A heart flung

Ever-uselessly trying to be

Free

I’m out again

But what is use?

I took the train home

Nearing stop, halted early

An announcement:

               Kids have put rocks on the railheads

I see them, little stick

Legs, running from their adult

Crime

Lem, don’t you reckon

They lie in bed

Hearts boiling

Forced scoffing tea from too

Much of you

How hiltlessly the dawn of

Their John Cross night scatters,

Nothing to protect them in

Their attack

Adding figures and angles

The summation of youthful

Folly is a bitter drink

Hampering the tongue from

Licking truly Life’s sweetness

Lem, I’ll ask you why you

Think I bite you

               The palate clear

               The mirror clean

               The smooth road

Why tarnish?

Mark?

Or attraction to the fierce

Muddy bump?

Are our stains a debilitating inevitability,

The tree’s destiny to fruit

This way?

Lemon, how are you used?