here in melbourne

 before i left the north country

 we were waiting for

 or just enduring more

winter.

today, my second day in melbourne

i am wearing shorts and sandals

my legs protesting and very pinky pale

and my mind a bit weird

from jetlag.

 leaving ottawa

 and the great white north

 i traveled

 to the big chicago

 over lake michigan

 and again into the air to the city

las angeles

for a ridiculous nine hour layover

 i did find a spot of grass and some trees

(amidst dreadful cacaphony)

 and a plane headed to china

 this is my first siting some 15 plus hours later

of australia

 enveloped in a haze of smoke

 from extensive wildfires.

when we landed i could smell it--

 and in melbourne there was

the little shop of horrors

 or flowers

 meanwhile,

back at the ranch

 the indigo was beaten

 by the strong arms of

naomi

 who cares for this stew 

of blue

and, incidentally, me, too!

 outside beautiful silks

where i'm teaching

 are some things i like very much

old texts, and in the sky

today

rain.