Author Archives: Tim Heffernan

jesus went to apec on thursday as he’s had a long term interest in the asia pacific. given the traffic restrictions he decided not to drive so he dispensed with the motorcade and caught the south coast train to central station. he walked the way he always walks when he goes to sydney on aContinue reading “jesus uses his camera phone”

Let them speak to you of madness of God while they are psychotic deluded hearing their voices frightened of you with knives in their hands following the wind pacing the street in communion with traffic lights in that lucid time when they are in dialogue with their demon spirit the one that leads them toContinue reading “Listen”

you went down to the water you went to the water you went to water you went too close to the edge you went to the edge you went too close close to the water close to the edge you went down to the water’s edge you edge closer __________________________________________________ Published – Sacred and Profane,Continue reading “fluidity”

Published – Rabbit, a journal for nonfiction poetry, ed. David Stavanger Tense, no. 27, 2019

I pick up the shucked jaw of a beer bottle from the rock platform under the shadow of the headland car park. At the water’s edge my daughters collect jewels, sea-sanded silica, pieces of people shells. We walk from Towradgi Beach to Bellambi Point and they teach me about beaches and glass, smoothed and shell-shaped.Continue reading “The effect of daughters”

In my tree the cockatoos never the diplomat arrive right on dawn and again at dusk. They are wheeling white flags trusting their voices. Flying in from the escarpment they warn, “Iraq, Iraq, Iraq…” but then when settled, “talk, talk, talk…” They preach these things so loud and long and the only missiles projected areContinue reading “sulphur crusts”

From one side of the partition she looked up from her tossed salad state and mineralised water world put down her implements and guided him a disarming smile. On the other side of the international cafe he was diverted from the impending roast and wiping red wine from his generous lips he mouthed sweet nothingsContinue reading “Disarming”

for Joan Meats i. Aristotle The crystalline onion skins of Aristotle’s universe moved me and before me this moon the planets and the sun in perfect circles around the earthly sphere of water, air and fire and in the ether the stars were eternal and unchanging. ii. Cat’s Eye Nebulae We were all once starsContinue reading “Measuring the universe”

(12 june 1988) cross-legged he squats demonstrating his empathy, understanding and handiwork. an old fella speaks, “draughty shelter this,” as sad eyes roam over a corrugated landscape. the compact white leader shifts his weight, “a true reconciliation is in this draft treaty.” an empty promise’s silence disperses the floating words. wind on a windless day.Continue reading “barunga conversations”

there are no butterflies in iraq he said as we were watching the one day international on a green pitch sponsored by taubman’s easycoat anti-bacterial wall paint. and the dugongs have disap­peared from the reef, he continued, because they could not live with the white bleached coral colours in vogue these days, and sea grassContinue reading “butterflies in iraq”