now

i adjusted my attitude
in a quick thought this morning  
as i’m one for immediate changes
slowing down new directions
is a waste of time usually 
when enthusiasm is exploding in now     

i’ve been thinking lately
about how quickly time departs us
another year is now nearing its end
and with the speed that it’s travelling
paired with a major new issue 
my life could pass by fast as well

i sit outside under a kind sprawling tree
and chat with a magpie now my friend
we share our dreams with the sky
as the wind blows out tunes 
while a parrot watches closely 
with interest 
    
in a house nearby i hear people fighting
screaming loud is now not what i need
traffic speeds past me
hip hop music beats blast
a kid dances   
and people gather and clap  

a skinny guy at a café
who i’m getting to know  
says things aren’t too good for him now
i show concern for his angst
so he asks me to sit down
and shows me photos of his cheating lover

a musician and i chat outside of the cafe
and have coffees i buy now’s my shout
we laugh at stories we make up
share some secrets we’ve kept
the skinny guy joins our table 
and cries 
 

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. Stephen’s play, ‘Johnny Chico’ ran in Spain for 4 years.