Darian Woods

Parts

They pulled her teeth out

And the sky stayed blue

We aren’t together

But they’re sending in a robot

 

They hammered her jaw

And the calves are thirsty

You are not sure

The blast knocked him over

 

Jowls puffing swollen

Only briefly, to save water

I cry in the shower

I’ll go in if no one else will

 

She swallowed some codeine

The clouds puffing swollen

Do you want to watch some TV?

More news will come soon

 

She threw up at midnight

The lawns left ochre

She said she’s uncertain

No rescue today

 

Her text, Could you sleep at my house?

You can dob in your neighbours

I love you I love you

Then we’ll go in ourselves

 

The telephone nurse said it’s normal

But tourists will love it

I’d wait for years for you

So the army’s stepped in

 

I held her hand all night

Rain falling over parts of the country today

will not be enough

to break weeks of drought

 

 

By Darian Woods

(NZ/US) plays in a band called Wet Wings, works for the Treasury during the day, and interviews people to collect their stories. He lives in Wellington but will soon move to Berkeley, California.