Site Information

A record of my poetry from 2001 -2009

The Site was first created in April 06 and used as an on-going depository.

   Use this link  POEM INDEX ... for a chronological ist of poems with links to text

Song of the Universe

every voice

endless rapture

your …

… voice

oration instilled

creating eternity

© Richard Scutter 30 April 2001

Mt Painter Canberra looking towards Lake Burley Griffin ... April 06.

American Walter Burley Griffin was the architect of Canberra and he had a vision of Canberra as the "People's Capital".

... the soul sees, the eye presents the object, the mind descries ... John Constable

... art is not what you see, but what you make others see ... Edgar Degas

Comments on Song of the Universe ...

The poem was based on choosing 10 key words, linked across 2 stanzas. The words themselves form two key words reflecting the importance of every voice. They provide a way to remember the words of the poem.


Everybody has a poem within, the way it is expressed is another matter. Poetry ... 'part of person left drying in the sun'.

Final editing and minor amendment may occur.

Use this link for Selected Poetry from 2010 onwards.

Richard Scutter ... May 2010

POEM INDEX

Chronological listing 2001 - 31 December 2009 ... with hot links to the Post that contains the poem text ...

Haiku 2009 ... 31 December 2009
A token life ... 24 December 2009
Green to Brown ... 28 November 2009
He was not superstitious ... 13 November 2009
Waiting for Justice ... 27 October 2009
Blood Hot Buses ... 22 September 2009
Bianca and Kate (two sonnets) ... 31 August 2009
Shadow to Shade ... 25 August 2009
Blessed by the Ordinary ... 15 August 2009
Winter Sea ... 10 July 2009
A Quiet at St Marks ... 4 July 2009
Selected Limericks ... 30 June 2009
Wind Farm Country ... 12 June 2009
Capital Seasons ... 24 May 2009
Canberra Can ... 9 May 2009
Mere Traffic Noise ... 24 April 2009
Obsessed ... 22 April 2009
Poetic Advice ... 22 April 2009
Foot Surgery ... 9 April 2009
Surgery Haiku ... 5 April 2009
Like Shoes ... 11 March 2009
Summer Ends ... 28 February 2009
Climatic Thoughts ... 11 February 2009
Animal Thoughts ... 4 February 2009
The Anonymous Poem ... 5 January 2009
Stopping One Day ... 3 January 2009

Led Astray ... 14 December 2008
One and Zero ... 10 December 2008
Rue on Rhubarb ... 10 December 2008
Backpain Tension ... 27 November 2008
Immutability ... 10 September 2008
Church Building ... 13 August 2008
Cycling Along ... 13 August 2008
Re-Birth ... 9 July 2008
Water, Water Everywhere 11 June 2008
On Wet Days ... 11 June 2008
Thunder ... 6 June 2008
Temptation ... 31 May 2008
Light My Fire ... 14 May 2008
This Flame ... 14 May 2008
The Maybe Words ... 7 May 2008
Autumn Air on Mt Painter ... 9 April 2008
A Breath of Air ... 9 April 2008
The Down to Earth Question ... 12 March 2008
An Unearthly Perspective ... 12 March 2008
Love and Music ... 13 February 2008
I Identified ... 11 February 2008
The IF Bedtime Story for a Grand-Daughter ... 9 January 2008
IF is ... 9 January 2008
If Dreaming ... 9 January 2008

As time goes by ... 12 December 2007
Tiger Tiger ... 30 November 2007
You and Me ... 14 November 2007
The Two of Us ... 14 November 2007
The Left and Right of It ... 13 November 2007
The Breaking of the Drought ... 11 November 2007
In Rememberance ... 27 October 2007
Metal Jazz at Moruya ... 20 October 2007
Fathers ... 10 October 2007
Fathers and Sons ... 15 September 2007
Memories ... 12 September 2007
Student Love ... 12 September 2007
Treadmill ... 8 August 2007
Regeneration ... 29 July 2007
Appropriate Closure ... 20 July 2007
Press Releases ... 15 July 2007
Special Day ... 15 July 2007
At the End of the Day ... 11 July 2007
The Mathematics of Marriage ... 18 June 2007
Words Waiting ... 13 June 2007
The Release Word ... 13 June 2007
Release Me ... 13 June 2007
A Rare Sighting ... 12 June 2007
Summer Dance ... 9 May 2007
Strip Trees ... 9 May 2007
Deception ... 20 April 2007
March of the Killer Crabs ... 11 April 2007
Mermaids Singing ... 11 April 2007
An Ode to Dora ... 14 March 2007
Ode: 2 B a Poet ... 14 March 2007
In Another Life ... 14 February 2007
Australia Day - 2007 ... 26 January 2007
The Ashes ... 10 January 2007
Something New ... 10 January 2007

Passing Time ... 12 December 2006
My Nothing God ... 12 November 2006
The Game of Life ... 8 November 2006
Your Cake ... 8 November 2006
Shaking it up ... 8 November 2006
Values ... 8 November 2006
Great Poetry ... 24 October 2006
Him Music ... 11 October 2006
Text of Note ... 11 October 2006
Your Song ... 11 October 2006 (not available on-line)
Our last visit to Mum ... 11 August 2006
Six of the Best ... 9 August 2006
The Healthy Worm ... 3 August 2006
Depot Beach Walk ... 30 July 2006
Haiku ... 21 July 2006
Some Creature ... 15 July 2006
Census Day ... 9 July 2006
America Beautiful ... 4 July 2006
Animal Accident ... 19 June 2006
Red Hat ... 14 June 2006
Ulladulla Fun Run ... 10 May 2006
Beauty ... 18 April 2006
England ... 12 April 2006
Home ... 12 April 2006
Beware the Ides Of March ... 8 March 2006
Genesis ... 11 January 2006

Celebrate ... 14 December 2005
Closing the Door ... 28 November 2005
Apostles Considered ... 25 October 2005
Sacred Ground ... 25 September 2005
Partnership Play ... 20 August 2005
The Peace on Terrorism ... 6 August 2005
Brain Surgery ... 15 June 2005
Sunday Church ... 19 May 2005
Edge Walk ... 21 April 2005
After Tsunami ... 13 January 2005

Sophie Says ... 25 December 2004
Wedding Clock ... 20 November 2004
The Lark ... 4 September 2004
Just Deserts ... 31 August 2004
Lily Remembered ... 26 June 2004
Sixty ... 7 June ... 2004
Autumn on Mount Painter ... 21 May 2004
Awake My Love ... 18 April 2004
Prostitute ... 30 March 2004
Deceptively Receptive ... 5 March 2004

Poetry ... 29 November 2003
Drought At Lake George ... 17 November 2003
Early Morning Run At Batehaven ... 10 October 2003
The Sun ... 26 July 2003
Waiting For ... 1 July 2003
Words Alone ... 23 March 2003
He Was ... 18 March 2003
Poets Are ... 20 February 2003
Pressing the Button ... 19 February 2003
After Sunday Lunch ... 17 February 2003

Today ... 10 December 2002
Birthday Bill ... 18 October 2002
Empathy ... 15 August 2002
Infinite Glory ... April 2002
Passing Love ... 15 March 2002
One Number Less ... 31 January 2002

Trash and Treasure ... 25 December 2001
Tessa ... 15 December 2001
In Gratitude ... 27 October 2001
Song of the Universe ... 30 September 2001

Note ...
Some early poems not included on this Site include ... That Call, Rejection, Words ...

Winter Sea

applique on applique of dulling light
washes the bland sky-sea merge
into an ever increasing dark

spates of seaweed disgorge a thick edge
the lonely remnants of empty days
the late afternoon drifts to an early close

finally the beach is lost of light
but an intermittent sigh continues
like a sallow woman refusing death

Richard Scutter 10 July 2009

Shadow to Shade

with each birth a use-by stamp
you cast your shadow
mandatory attachment to man and woman

but you commit suicide continually
taking your shadow with you
the shades endowed by this your parting gift

life laughs on the high wind of the almighty
and the sun flames free and pure

 
(also see the following Post and a great poem by Brian Patten ...
See this post  )

Poetic Advice

hyperbole cascades
flooding passion permeates
drowning all his words

if this be your sin
fade red into softer rose
mute the man within

© Richard Scutter 20 April 2009

Mere Traffic Noise

mere traffic noise, that’s all
mere traffic noise disturbing the night sleep

down the vein-red highway of the body
comes that all too familiar welling throb
an inside truck insistent on being heard
strikes its urgent hell-horn blast

a flood of momentary relief
as it fades the next truck fast approaches
and again there is momentary relief
such an insufferable continuous convoy

mere traffic noise, that’s all, you say!
taking a couple of tablets,
mere traffic noise
just mere traffic noise …

… eventually subsiding to a distant murmur
dulling you back into superficial sleep

© Richard Scutter 23 April 2009

Canberra Can

(or caning Canberra)

invoke the cold in one syllable
tremble a tax through cheating bodies
and gash government to the unfamiliar eye

and like old Joe shouting “ never Canberra,
avoid that Sunday Church mate! ”
makes his forced collection in absentia
spiting out the capital cost
while walking an un-kept pavement

© Richard Scutter 9 May 2009

Obsession

no, no, you can’t use the computer at the moment
I’ve only just logged on … you had it all morning
I’ve only done the first line, come on!
yes, yes … I know we’re going out to lunch!

its not eleven yet, interruptions … interruptions … interruptions …
not a moments peace!
no, no … I don’t want anything from the shops
yes, that will be lovely, … see you later … bye

at last, I can finish this ..
if the stupid dog doesn’t stop barking
what the hell is she barking at …
alright, alright, alright … just give me five -

all I need is the bloody telephone to go
then I’ll never complete the last line

© Richard Scutter 22 April 2009

Surgery Haiku

30 March 09

tomorrow clouds the day
surgeon and toes colliding
temporary block of sun

dependent upon
the fine skills of the surgeon
faith in his fingers

1 April 09 2:00am after surgery, in hospital ...

dead feet ghost running
reliving Vets1 victories
O'er taking Jim White

Note ...
surgery went well ... many thanks to surgeon and hospital staff including nurses Twinkle (her real name) and Sheeba ... all were wonderful

4 April 09

Update ...

latest breaking news
message shot from straight bones
toe the line with care

no bell-ringing day
only a sleepy dog gives a sigh
toe the line with care

Richard Scutter

Footnote ...
Vets = ACT Veterans Athletics Club ... still toeing that line with care

Foot Surgery

stripped to gown, plastic essentials
panties, bag on the head
passing vertical eyes avoid
or give that knowing-look
wheeled to the stop-start lift
“what do you usually do on a Tuesday afternoon?”
into the one-way theatre foyer
feet face the door-flap entrance

stalled, the final wait …
sound of foreign preparation from inside
at the foot of the trolley-bed
your bone-shadows large-enveloped
incisions will inflict insight
the first-hand cut critical
discovery inescapable, imminent
that concern not of concern now

you force attention to the ceiling
there’s no detachment of the mind
eyes switch to the no-quell color
the dull pink-wash paint of the walls
the hands on the clock frozen
between forty and forty five

the anesthetist enters arresting thoughts
dumb words on management of pain
asks a name, confirmation of own ink
a comprehension of the programmed act
all is legal and procedure, my decision
there can be no recall

the surgeon now quick to make his greeting
a fist to the palm of the hand that bleeds
highlights understanding, momentary eye-meet fusion
the final agreement before the cut

the trolley moves, door-flaps separate
the room vanishes, focus of attention voided

… eyes flicker open …
… an emerging discovery that there are others in recovery …

it is over, it is twenty past five
the clock already started on the other-side


© Richard Scutter 9 April 2009

Note ...Written following foot surgery on 31 March 09 ... with many thanks to all at the hospital