by RODNEY WILLIAMS
after Harper Lee & Craig Silvey
now designer Colorbond above masonry blocks
glass ceiling to floor in hometown South Gippsland
where a hut between trees on the edge of town
had rusted browner than copper by my early teens
seen close-up at last braving a dare on my own
crossing side-lane blackberries a barbed wire fence
no chained dog that day barking me to a standstill
not hearing snakes hiss in sneaking up to his door
finding a frame without lining some noggins unmilled
in one corner a stained mattress kapok burst loose
no brick fireplace chimney combustion-stove flue
its floor bare earth with rock hearth charcoal ash
lacking vents smoke reeking walls painted by soot
keeping an eye out myself for Old Boagie Bogey Man
his spectre a curse sparking boyhood’s worst dreams
long toenails as swords kicking blood from my guts
since Father first off let him squat in our shed
from a barrow selling kindling on a soldier’s pension
in an army greatcoat each day no matter how hot
till the bloke second-in-charge at the general store
twigged Ted Boag hadn’t visited the shop for days
no tinned baccy damper flour sweet condensed milk
checking the hut himself phoning ambos the hospital
where they gave Edward Boag his first bath in an age
with surgery needed to remove singlet & long-johns
him passing before my pride got knocked by surprise
reading of Deep South kids dared to thump on a wall
scaring a guy known as Boo hiding damaged but kind
kicked again by Jasper’s tale in our own South West
boys dared to steal peaches off a sad grandpa Mad Jack
Royston Street, Meeniyan, VIC