Poem: Now I Live

Now I Live

I lived once on a high green hill

In the northern province.

In the winter snows came

And my only companions were

Wine and wind.

All this when I lived

In the northern province.

I lived once by a sandy stream

In the coastal region.

In the summer birds came

And my companions were sun and sand.

All this when I lived

In the coastal region.

I lived once on a plateau’s top

In the western province.

In the autumn great clouds passed

And my companions were

Sky and stars.

All this when I lived

In the western province.

I live now by an old bridge

In the region of many valleys.

All year the climate’s kind

And my companions are

Paper and pen.

All this now I live

In the region of many valleys.

Phil Brown, an arts journalist, commentator, poet, author, presenter at festivals and other events who has worked for major news outlets in Australia and internationally, is the editor of Solstice Media’s InReview, Queensland. His poetry and short stories, travel and various other articles have appeared widely both individually and in collections, the latter including The Kowloon Kid published by Transit Lounge in 2019, and Confessions of a Minor Poet, published by Transit in October last year. More can be found about Phil and his work here.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.