he asked
what supplements I was taking
don’t believe in them
I said
but
omega, magnesium, muti-B, C, zinc
we talked about
kim gordon, the prodigy,
nine inch nails, I
didn’t admit
I’d deliberately listened
to phil collins
that day
although it
arguably says
more about my health
-or otherwise
than a handful of
encapsulated vitamins
and whether
I’m a nose breather
at night
I remember when you lied
about how you knew me
said we were old friends
from school
but we’d only just met
really
introduced by him
when he moved in
had nothing in common
except
I liked cars
and you had one
we hadn’t come
separately
but driven in
that was my lie
so now we’re even
Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/clairevetica/lies
Photo by Christina Langford-Miller on Unsplash
I live in spider city
land of grey webs
spindly legs
and glitter
moving delicately
staking territory
gossamer strands
mark
invisible lands
my octo-eyes
observe
the corners
of my fortress
don’t look up or
disturb me
tick, tick, tock
taking stock
my demesne
well-lit or gloomy
silvery womb
my children
quicken
near invisible
against
white walls
traverse
silken skyscrapers
and exquisite
sprung floors
Photo: Unsplash
trapped in
someone else’s dream again
backed into harness,
thrown the reins to them
taken the bit
willingly
stupid, she
try to do right
looks a lot like
acquiescence
from behind
the bridle
nice
don’t win fights
easy
to ride
the least-resistant
road
galloping by
questions
of true desire
do you, do you, do you
love me yet?
do you, do you
have you
fallen
no regrets
fucking on a mattress
on the floor
you had no furniture
at all
for months
lived in your car
do you
do you
have you
succumbed
you hobo?
staying up late
frantic words
words, words,
type, write, text
don’t speak
the words
afraid
of what happens
next
if
what?
do you
do you…
suppose
the love
still
spills
out
you love
without
saying it
a frenzy
of avoidance
type, write, text
when
my crazy meets
yours
you’re crazy
I’m
relentless
engulfed
obsessed
tie me
to your bed
play games
with our heads
do you, do you, do you
love me
yet
I sat with my ex
in his garden
on a cold, bright sunny day
in Melbourne
we hadn’t
slept together
the night before.
He lived there
with his girlfriend
an arty chick
he met in London
I never knew her well.
She was right to
be uncertain
he was mine
for the taking.
And I blew off
my old best friend.
And he knew
I’d fucked his brother
– my god
I was hungover
we just stayed there
playing Scopa
in the sunshine
it was a nearly perfect day
Reading on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/clairevetica/sunshine
Photo by Darren Richardson on Unsplash
birdtrack
skythreat
heartcrack
the wave swirls upwards
to greet me
I swear it knows
what i need
wish it would tell me
out loud
waterwords
are hard to read
Photo: Claire Doble
I really enjoy artist collaborations. They end up so much more than the sum of their parts.
A friend and filmmaker, David Bugeja of Catmari Productions, was inspired to create a video clip for my recently recorded poem Darksparkle.
To be honest, it makes my reading sound a bit shabby! But I adore what he’s done here.
I wake to the taste of
stop n grow
bitter, sweet
with nostalgia
heavy, hot air
laden with Christmas tree
and the dreamsnorts swirl
make me
old, young, like
a glitch between
childhood and progeny
the way your eyes light
when you play a song
beered-up footy men
get teared-up to
singing along
my heart
catches
like a fingernail
in tulle
because I know
what’s inside
you
a betraying all-too-human
love
I guess,
the cynics
would sneer
but you’re 10 and it’s clear
I don’t know
how to explain
like a mirror I see
how you ache to be
understood,
to rise high
above
and be great
in a way
that will
never quite
be attained
in your mind
I just hope
one day you know
I believe
you are
in
every grain of sand
on the beach
Listen to it on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/clairevetica/high-hopes?si=37a6a28f20e24210bc49cee8b7ddcb9b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Photo: Claire Doble
frigidaire air
cold on bottle-green arms
inhale exhale, snuffle-gulp
chill shots, no covid
don’t touch
turquoise face
stretch
alabaster calves
yellowhite, marbled
tight, neat, chocked, clocked
surprised but not shocked
ready to run
here it comes
breath like a vape
grey morning takes
extra
moments
to
arrive
pinkorange imperial glory
of clouds over
water as
ghosts glide
majestic
winter sunrise
Photo: Claire Doble
clairevetica 