Degrees of Certainty
if you’d studied nursing, you’d be at work by now
not attending a lecture on an abstract noun
studying with a degree of uncertainty
certainly
the work would be hard, the pay low
(patients require much patience, according to medical shows)
but at least you’d have the Degree
caring is practically a universal language
unlike the philosophical abstractions which
you can never claim to understand with certainty
certainly
you’d have to work the night shift
but your husband could tell the children you’re a witch
and they’d laugh and say “she’s not!” while secretly believing it, to a degree
but it does no good to imagine when
decisions made upon a whim
commit you to a Degree of Uncertainty
About a ring
I bought a ring to replace the one I lost
now my finger feels complete
if only I could say the same
Northern Territory Intervention
Because of the intervention
the town was filled with them.
They were camping in the Todd
taking advantage of its dry sandy bed
(we would later see their campfires
as we drove back from a local restaurant).
But during the day they simply
leaned against trees shops churches
sat on grass steps pavement.
It was meant to be a holiday.
Two weeks away.
Learning about the red centre.
Hands on. Adventurous.
But first – tired from the
flight – we found some
local markets and wandered around.
Because of the intervention
it was hard to look at them.
I wanted to say something,
let them know I was on their side.
“I am ideologically opposed.”
But I was awed by the
insufficiency of my words –
my own ignorance – my political mindset,
so divorced from the reality of their lives.
Because of the intervention
I forced myself to look at them.
I made eye contact with an old man.
He was leaning against a tree,
watching the busy market.
I made eye contact, but he didn’t.
He looked through me
but in his eyes I saw a landscape,
and I moved on hurriedly
unsettled by his stillness
so incongruous with my own
fast paced world.
It didn’t last, but for a second
I understood.
And I mourned for the
souls that were left behind
when we conquered this land.
