This black and white photo of myself taken at Mary Street park in Richmond, Victoria on Sunday,
18 November 2012 is the proposed book cover for my forthcoming volume of new poems, Personal Weather, which I anticipate being published in the first half of 2013.
The photograph is meant to complement the book title. Any feedback about the photograph is appreciated.
Here is a self-portrait poem from Personal Weather —
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Self-portrait,
Melbourne, 19 September, 2012
I am many selves, some are intimidated by authority figures.
Disapproval, its possibility, makes them stay in the dark beneath my ribs.
Emergent selves must believe no predators are near, ready to break their spines.
Not too social some of my selves. In being alone they get their best thinking done.
Tentative, they observe rather than participate, prefer libraries to dance floors.
Insistent invitations make them grumpy. You can tell by their body language that
They’d rather be elsewhere, not politely asking, “And how do you earn a living?”
Yet they can be kind to the shy. “That was me once,” they’ll say to each other.
Disapproval, its possibility, makes them stay in the dark beneath my ribs.
Emergent selves must believe no predators are near, ready to break their spines.
Not too social some of my selves. In being alone they get their best thinking done.
Tentative, they observe rather than participate, prefer libraries to dance floors.
Insistent invitations make them grumpy. You can tell by their body language that
They’d rather be elsewhere, not politely asking, “And how do you earn a living?”
Yet they can be kind to the shy. “That was me once,” they’ll say to each other.
