"Bitter-berry daybreak"

Bitter-berry daybreak
bitter-berry sun
a mirror has broken
between me and him

I try to find the highway
perhaps to run away
but everywhere the footpaths
of his words lead me astray

Pinewood remember
pinewood forget
however much I lose my way
I step on my regret

Parrot-coloured echo
tricks me tricks me on
until I turn beguiled
to retrieve the mocking song

Echo gives no answer
he answers everyone
bitter-berry daybreak
bitter-berry sun

Ingrid Jonker

wanna play fire with you

if only my words 
could create a tiny universe 
for you and I 
a deserted beach 
a sand castle 
a song to dance to.

Paris bleeding

my arms with a single embrace

would speak more eloquently

of my desires

my lips silent on yours

would reason

that the words you bestow

upon me

should be devoured

with gentle urgency.

fingers like little cameras

are taking photographs

of our profane celebration.