Through My Window, poems by Joachim Matschoss
Joachim Matschoss was born in Germany and now lives in Melbourne/Australia. He is a playwright, poet and Theatre-maker. His Theatre Company, ‘Backyard Theatre Ensemble (BYTE)’ presents diverse pieces of theatre all across Melbourne/ Australia and internationally, both Youth Arts and for adults. Joachim has created theatre in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, India, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Taiwan, Switzerland and China. Joachim’s poetry is published in Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and the USA. Joachim’s latest book, Rain Overnight: Travels in Asia, is available directly from him or from good bookshops in Melbourne and on www.amazon.com www.byteensemble.com
through my window
(eltham, july 2017)
right outside my window
there in the rain he stands
motionless
in his white tank top
revealing each pac and every ab muscle
one strong rabbit he is
a day later he dashes fog-deep
into the folded valley behind the fence
nearby a dog runs circles
not knowing what to think or where to run
he is smart
he is quick
the laws of geometry don’t apply to him
circles became right angles
and what I presumed to be the end of what I could see
from my window
was the beginning for him
a paddock stretching from diamond creek
to the downs of yarra glen
but this morning
stepping outside to pick up the paper
wrapped in its known sterility
I noticed him
without his head
lying bloodless on the lawn
outfoxed by someone who I never spotted
through my window.
descending
(eltham, september 2017)
somehow my dreams had been invaded
as reality around me gently faded
I found myself climbing down steep steps
somehow towards hell, perhaps
startled, inside my throat a great big lump
there, in front of my stood a naked dj trump
and next to him stephen fuckin’ bannon
lusciously licking a north korean cannon
a choir sang something about fake news
it sounded more like dirty rotten blues
more devils started to surround me
and it was high time to bolt and flee
kim yong-un and dj trump were now elopin’
me storming up steep steps with eyes wide open
out of breath and eaten alive by nuclear fear
I escaped the wedding of the year
waking up
hearing the first birds announce a new day
I smiled at the simplicity
Haiku
rich pastures
in diamond creek
pearls of wisdom come in spades
under a golden sun
kangaroo at the back fence
steely-eyed it stared
I pull’d the blanket tighter
my city brain froze
blowing bubbles
a child chases soap
breeze took it up the valley
disguised as a ball
Haiku
red light district
(amsterdam, april 2016)
curtain’s pulled right back
but she just smiles, near naked
waiting for drunk men
woman in pub
(amsterdam, april 2016)
she’s just wearing jeans
to him she looks amazing
a kiss and he’d melt
hope for unity
(amsterdam, april 2016)
surely a christmas
where candles burn at both ends
© Joachim Matschoss