by DIJANNE CEVAAL

There is a building
a two sided brick structure with a roof.
There are benches
a slatted arrangement bolted to the walls.
There is an eating facility
a wooden trestle table with bench seats.
There are lights
movement activated in the dark night.
There is water
a bubbler fountain easily pressed.
There are toilets
a corrugated iron structure labelled Public.
There is a gas BBQ
operated with a gold coin.
There are gardens and trees
neatly manicured fortnightly.
There is air conditioning
cooling and heating provided by nature itself.

But
there are no rooms, no shower, or kitchen sink,
there is no privacy, it is open,
with street lights blazing all night long
with cars roaring by at all hours
And
It is home for two people,
who neatly fold their bedding every morning,
who pack their belongings in supermarket bags,
who tidily stack their stuff in a corner.

• Morwell, Victoria