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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: Jellyfish

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May was a busy busy month for me. Actually, every month is busy, but May was super busy, with some personal stuff, some day job stuff, and a looming deadline for my poetry resource for Australian teachers. And that all meant I missed several Poetry Fridays.

Another thing I missed was snorkelling. That busyness coupled with the cooler weather kept me out of the water most of the month. But this week some of the busyness has gone, and on Tuesday I bought a new, warmer, wetsuit – and so I managed a snorkel both Wednesday and Thursday.

On Thursday I did my first ever river snorkel. I’d heard of a site where seahorses are regularly spotted, and it is close to my city unit, so I headed there. I spotted only the one seahorse, but it was my first ever seahorse, so I was pleased. But what really took my breath away were the jellyfish.

I confess that I have always had a bit of hesitancy to get anywhere near jellyfish. Some sting, and all seem, from the surface, weird, sticky creatures. But snorkelling has given me the opportunity to really see these amazing creatures up close. I am fascinated by the way they move,  and could watch them for hours.

Here’s a little footage so you can see what I mean.

 

Beautiful aren’t they?

And, of course, I came away wanting to write poetry about the beauty and the grace of these creatures. But nothing came out quite right. Yet.  I will keep trying, but in the meantime, I found this beautiful poem, which says all the things I wanted to say.

A Jelly-Fish

by Marianne Moore

Visible, invisible,
A fluctuating charm,
An amber-colored amethyst
Inhabits it; your arm
Approaches, and
It opens and
It closes;
You have meant
To catch it,
And it shrivels;
You abandon
Your intent—
It opens, and it
Closes and you
Reach for it—
The blue
Surrounding it
Grows cloudy, and
It floats away
From you.

(Poem in the public domain)

Have a wonderful Friday, and, if you love poetry, head over to Margaret’s blog to see lots more poetry goodness.

Under the Sea

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A busy week, and updates still to come on the bits that are writerly, but in the meantime, here is a glimpse under the sea. Look for the octopus in the first few seconds.

Poetry Friday: Lurkers and Liquid Wonder

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In case you’ve not noticed, I have been taking every opportunity to get into the water and snorkel.   In spite of my  great love of the beach and of swimming, until last year, I had never been snorkelling, and so it is a fresh, exciting hobby.

This week, I got up early and went for a pre-work dip at Omeo Wreck,  one of my favourite spots. Great for a beginner like me, but also always something new.   I spotted a  spotted leatherjacket and followed it for a while. When it stopped under a little arch of wreckage, I took the opportunity to practice my new diving skills, took a breath, aimed my gopro and swam down.

I knew I had the fish in shot, but it wasn’t till later, at home, that I was able to check it. I then took a still shot from the footage, and shared it with friends on facebook. I’m glad I did – because a friend pointed out something I had missed. I wonder if you can see it in the moving footage – which is the view I had in the water:

Did you spot it? The photobombing lurker? If not, don’t feel bad – because I didn’t see it either.
Here’s the still shot:

copyright Sally Murphy, 2021

If you still can’t see it, look  at the sand on the right. Sand with eyes? And a sinister grin?

Now I don’t know if Mr Flathead was thinking of eating Ms Leatherjacket for dinner, and I  can reassure you that when I left, the leatherjacket was still very happily swimming around, but I knew there was a poem in this.

Welcome

Come right in!

Come right in!

You’ll feel welcomed

By my friendly grin.

Can’t see my smile?

You soon will

When I open wide

To let you in!

(Poem copyright Sally Murphy, 2021)

Not to be outdone, my follow-up trip the next morning proved to be even more amazing, though I have not yet captured the poems for this breathtaking octopus encounter:

At the end of this video, you might sense that, while awestruck by the octopus, I was being increasingly aware of what was happening behind it. I spent the next 15 minutes floating and wondering and nearly crying with the joy of this:

I’ve been trying ever since to find the words to capture these amazing moments, so watch this space.

In the meantime, today’s Poetry Friday has lots of Poetry Goodness. Swim over to Heidi’s blog where, she is not only hosting the roundup but also  all the Poetry Friday posts but also celebrating her birthday.

Poetry Friday: Echidna Dreams

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It’s Poetry Friday and this week I read a wonderful book called Animals Make Us Human, which shares stories from some of Australia’s finest writers, and scientists and conservationists. Each story  shares that writer’s connection with animals, mostly of one specific species. The stories are lovely, the photos are sumptuous, but the message is also important – we need to  know these stories and the threats that face our animal friends.

There was so much to love and to digest from the book, but one line stood out to me – from author Tom Kenneally, who shared the fact that echidnas, among other amazing things, are known to dream – they experience REM sleep. ‘What is it the echidna’s dreaming’ Kenneally asks. And, reading that line, I knew I needed to write about this.

When it came time to write,  that line came back to me, and I knew I wanted to use it, or something close to it, and evoke a dream-like state. I settled on a poetic form new to me, the viator (which Irene Latham introduced me to last  Poetry Friday). The first line becomes a refrain, used in the second line of the second stanza, the third line of the third, and the final line of the fourth.  it’s a tricky form, but also a lot of fun to work with.

Here’s what I came up with:

 

When Echidna dreams

her dreams, curled in a spiky ball

nestled  down deep

in her earthy burrow

 

what does she dream

when Echidna dreams?

Do streams of ants

march across her vision?

 

Or does she fly

or swim or float

when Echidna dreams,

imagining fantastic possibilities?

 

I can only guess

the wonderings, the worrying

in the dreams she dreams

when Echidna dreams.

(Poem copyright Sally Murphy, 2021)

 

Not familiar with the echidna? This video offers some wonderful footage – and insight.

 

Speaking of poetry, this week was a wonderful week for poetry in Australia – and especially for the verse novel. The Children’s Book Council announced the Notable Books for 2021 (this is a form of longlist for the Children’s Book of the Year Awards). And in the younger readers’ category there was not one, not two, but THREE verse novels. This is brilliant news, in a country where children’s poetry receives scant publishing attention. And, as it happens, I may have been also a bit chuffed that one of those poems was my own Worse Things.  Happy days!

 

Not really poetry related (though there is poetry under the sea and this video is filled with potential poems) – here’s a glimpse at the very early morning snorkelling trip I managed before work this week. I am a wee bit addicted.

The Poetry Friday host today is Karen Edmiston. Pop over to her blog to see what other poetry goodness is on offer today.. It might also leave you wondering what you are as old as (and the answer is not ‘as old as the hills’).

 

Poetry Friday: Under the Sea

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This week I was lucky enough to have a little holiday from work – and from the world, it seemed.  I headed to Rottnest Island (which in the local Noongyar language is called Wadjemup), and spent two days snorkelling, riding a bike and relaxing.  I especially wanted to snorkel at a place called Parker Point, on the other side of the island, and hired a bike specially. Last year I cheated and caught the tourist bus.

I got up super early and was the first one in the water. It was so worth it!  I’ve tried to write about it, although the poem is still a draft. And, if you have time, I have cobbled together a video from my gopro footage.  If I had more time I would have edited it better, but hopefully you’ll get a sense of the magic.

 

Wadjemup, Tuesday Morning

Six a.m

and holidaymakers

sleep still

in cottages

languidly enjoying

their break from reality.

But I

am far from my cottage

urging my bike

up hills much steeper than they appeared

from the windows of

the air conditioned bus.

At Parker Point

I stop

feeling sheepish

chaining the bike

when there’s no one else in sight

descend the stairs

and prepare

snorkels

flippers

rashie.

At the edge of the water

I pause

wondering at my sanity

to be here alone

so early.

Too late now

I commit

lunging forward inelegantly

over seagrass

darkly stirring

just inches from my face.

Within metres

I spot my first fish

and I feel myself

surrender

to the lure of the water

and its myriad treasures.

Later

as I float

in a school of silver

that seems to never end

I wonder, briefly,

if those cottage beds

are working the same magic

on those who’ve stayed abed.

(Poem Copyright Sally Murphy,2021)

 

Ruth is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup. If you drop by there, you might be brave enough to add a fact for the group poem.