Cartoon

 

[Cartoon]

 

Anthony Albanese,

a workhorse some call lazy;

understated, or clearly hazy?

 

Anthony Albanese

not easy being PM Albanese

in a world of tariff crazies.

 

Adam Bandt.

Did you say Adam Ant?

Prepare for a two-hour rant!

 

Adam Bandt

can’t just cannot abide cant

for it he just cannot standt!

 

Peter Dutton

in Queensland thing’s hit rock bottom,

in Denmark there’s something rotten.

 

Peter Dutton

shows he ain’t got nuthin’ -

say “Nuclear” and press his button.

 

David Littleproud

can’t pull a crowd,

has to say things very loud.

 

David Littleproud?

Yes David Littleproud,

that’s correct David Littleproud.

 

Bob Brown,

he’s been around.

No one’s going to keep him down.

 

Bob Brown

speaks with a frown

about those Capital City clowns.

 

King Charles the Third

hasn’t heard, or been referred

to Pam the Bird.

 

Charles, King of Great Britain

of whom much is written.

Once shy, now hard bitten.

 

Samantha Mostyn

says climate’s costin’

this world we’re found or lost in.

 

The same Sam Mostyn

serves tea and buns (Boston)

when the neighbours come she’s hostyn.

 

Bottle

 

[Bottle]

 

“Guidelines when Painting“

 

Pierre Bonnard, detail of ‘Dining room at Le Cannet’ (1932)

 

Remind them of the shape of bottle

lip and neck and base and not too subtle

how it fills the space not too little.

 

Erect the form using line. incorrect colour

the time it takes to fill with water

or something sweeter or tipsier, richer.

 

Suggest body with blue patch of window,

crimson curl reflection, distant dayglow

inside glass silver liquid, go with the flow.

 

Demonstrate, using cubist traction

impressionist smudge, baroque affection,

its air of indefinite abstraction.

 

Imagine the genie who got us all here

all the questions so far yet so near.

all’s as it appears, yet changed it’s clear.

 

Write the message bottled for their word game

who still have to find out how futile is fame;

only love, work, rest, signed with your name.

 

Imply that all objects have such mystery,

the contents take effect in all their variety;

the poet said it, the world’s incorrigible plurality.

 

Describe its glassiness as simply the start

of iconic afternoon its edges prefiguring dark.

there are years wherein to appreciate the art.

 

Leave it to breathe where you saw it last

to the gaze of aging friends sharing the past

and the young who find the whole thing a blast.

Table

 

[Table]

 

“Guidelines when Painting“

 

Pierre Bonnard, detail of ‘The Table’ (1925)

 

The head turns this way then that

so show that, with her face hidden at

an angle in thought whereat she sat.

 

The arm embraces as well as fends,

so show as veins and nerves extend

its curve, how the muscles flex and bend.

 

The hand puts all things in their place

so show how the fine parts hold in space,

move slight, or swift, with speechless grace.

 

The plate holds the earth’s goodness

so likewise show its hue and centralness

hard and round and chipped no less.

 

The knife there has ten thousand uses

so solitary, like a paintbrush that sluices

seizes on sizes, renders and reduces.

 

The bowl upholds all things their forms:

attend to the round, sharp, frilly, forlorn

each resting in transit to their next morn.

 

The table, the tablecloth picture the day,

so centre them so with the daily display

of our needs, our work, our play.

 

Then, the door exhibits our small universe

so render both dark and light as at first;

stay this side or exit, for better or worse.

 

The shadow shall speak of passing time

so define each body and object’s special line

outlined by light, and made a certain sign.