​13 Ways of Looking at Calder’s Eucalyptus, by Deborah Hefferon

​13 Ways of Looking at Calder’s Eucalyptus

1.    A tulip, agape with life,
      open to the airy light.

2.   Boomerangs chasing each other
      on the way to the outback,
      or from my dream.

3.   Rain drops on a cat perched on a guitar.

4.   Darkest space, like wet slate.

5.   A palm frond falls down to earth,
      stops to pick up an electric guitar.

6.   Flaccid tulip stems
      whip around, grab hold
      of the eucalyptus trunk.

7.    Pale grey miasma
      darkens air currents of reflection,
      releases breath.

8.   Greek temple: a stage
     of shadowy sideshows,
      funneling air and ideas.

9.   Frantic spiral of birds on wing,
      clashing, clicking cacophony.

10.  Jump with quick feet. The pan
       sizzles with heat; peppercorns leap.
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11.   As robust as a comma;
      as defiant as an apostrophe;
      as wide open as a question mark.

12.  Circus of punctuation, flowers
       and a reptile – the stuff of dreams.

13.  The playful shadows tease the shapes,
       asking: do you recognize me now?

Deborah Hefferon

Deborah Hefferon, based in Washington, DC, recently retired from a 25-year career as a Cross-cultural Communications Trainer. Creative writing has been part of her life for decades, first writing personal essays and then moving into poetry ten years ago. Published work has appeared in three volumes of District Lines (Politics & Prose), Prospectus: A Literary Offering, Story64, anderbo.com, The Washington Post Sunday Magazine, and The Pen is Mightier than the Broom.