CUTTING THISTLES -by Tony Lintermans

CUTTING THISTLES

-by Tony Lintermans

Decimating thistles by shovel and curse
and rock-jarred hand, I recall my father’s
friendly warning against perfection:
‘To look a thistle in the eye and not flinch
is the test of temperament. If you can nod
“G’day” and walk away smiling, you’re right.
Otherwise you’re always at it.” Wise words.

But vicious glee in the perfectly swung shovel
shooting purple heads skywards is what he missed,
where each stalk sliced off is delirium?
Too late, this white juice dribbling. Summer
will sow these paddocks with thistledown blown
from fallen seed heads, opened. Pre-emptive strikes
leave wounded stalks, a windy father slighted.

* Tony Lintermans, Victoria, Australia