experts

i’m surrounded by experts
wherever i go
in my walk-around listening-in days
they appear out of nowhere
carrying their wisdom
and give it out to all who will listen

just recently  
i’ve encountered an increase of them
sharing their knowledge vocally 
like the woman on my local jetty
telling her friend
how to fix up her marriage 

the man in a park
giving information to another
about buying a rental property
the boy at a beach
explaining to his mate
the trick to skimming a rock on water

the guy sitting with coffee in café
instructing a young bloke
on what to do with his money
the girl in a busy bakery
advising her friend 
on what to have for lunch

and on it goes more and more 
every day in every way  
these fabulous experts 
directing those they’re with
on what to do
and how to do it

i thought to myself 
while on the bus yesterday
i don’t think i’m an expert at much
and while i’ve certainly done 
plenty of things in my life
doing things doesn’t make one an expert     

but with so many experts 
who have so much to say
i don’t think the world needs any more
so i’ll keep walking-around 
and listen-in when i can
to the experts and their expertise  


Stephen House has won awards and nominations as a poet, playwright, and actor. He’s been commissioned often, with 20 plays produced, many published by Australian Plays Transform. He’s received international literature residencies from The Australia Council for the Arts to Canada and Ireland, and an Asialink residency to India. He’s had two chapbooks published by ICOE Press Australia: ‘real and unreal’ poetry and ‘The Ajoona Guest House’ monologue. His poetry is published often. He’s performed his acclaimed monologues, ‘Appalling Behaviour’, ‘Almost Face to Face’ and ‘The Ajoona Guest House’ widely. His play, ‘Johnny Chico’ ran in Spain for four years.