in nature 

sea spray
a residue for the lucky
i decide as showered
standing alone on a rock
in pink moonlight 
wondering 
and worshipping   

i dance in circles now
celebrating what just is
learning to laugh and cry
alone in silence
singing to my shadow
watching days 
evaporate gently    

omen maybe
magpie peck on head
protecting next generation
smile in evaluation 
applaud bird courage
forgiven quick 
at dawn

appreciation of all
disseminates softly 
with age in nature
and that itself
is an indication 
of measured time 
remaining here 




the fish

i’m in horror 
watching him 
pull up the hooked fish
on the end of the jetty 
where i am taking in the sunset  

and while i know i can’t do anything 
to save the fish 
from this accepted by most slaughter  

i look into the fisherman’s eyes 
and quietly say
‘that poor dying fish’ 

to which he shrugs 

but i get a sense 
by the look he gives the fish 
and me

that just for moment
hearing my words 
he falls into what i said

and i suppose
that counts for something

regarding the fish
and the life 
it has lived

on planet earth

our shared home

BIOGRAPHY Stephen House  

Stephen House has won many awards and nominations as a poet, playwright, and actor. He’s had 20 plays produced with many published by Australian Plays Transform. He’s received several international literature residencies from The Australia Council for the Arts, and an Asialink India literature residency. He’s had two chapbooks published by ICOE Press Australia: ‘real and unreal’ poetry and ‘The Ajoona Guest House’ monologue. His next book drops soon. He performs his acclaimed monologues widely.