The Travelling Insurance Man is home Shirt stain-striped
Interchangeable starched collar blindingly white in contrast His
adolescent daughter blinks awkwardly the unexpected visitor
shifting things causing her to notice he is wearing his week’s
menu He is relaxed and pleasant enough in his armchair enjoys
a new child audience for his opinions On another day his wife
will put her head in the gas oven The daughter will come home
in time to drag her out will be afraid to leave her alone ever
again These glimpses are dark space between the stars they
silence us We never mention this again

Lizz Murphy

 

Lizz Murphy writes between Binalong NSW and Canberra ACT. She has published thirteen books. Her eight poetry titles include: Shebird (PressPress 2016), Walk the Wildly (Picaro/Ginninderra 2009/2017), Two Lips Went Shopping (Spinifex Press 2000). Spinifex Press will publish her next poetry collection The Wear of My Face later this year.

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