by JULIE CONSTABLE
in the forest stately spotted gums
shed bark — revealing maps
mystery countries coloured
salmon-pink and cream
a silver sea the forest lime
gathered beneath the trees
burrawang cycads spread green fronds
a splash of indigo reels me in
— where a tell-tale arch of woven twigs
marks a stage of stolen blues
a satin bower bird has gathered
sky-blue straws a dark blue peg
bottle lids little navy blue milk containers
fragments of blue-hued paper
a thread of turquoise raffia
the blue objects entrance — but look
he’s lain cream and brown grass stems
— a bed for fifty blue bottle tops
the straws neatly aligned garnish
a hundred fresh apple-berry flowers
— he’s not far off now
waiting for the right audience
to dance, sing, show off his blue hoard
we search the car for blue
place an offering on the picnic table
before we finish our cuppas
he arrives cobalt-blue in the light
accepts our pen
Mimosa Rocks, south coast New South Wales