Poem: Suburban Song (first draft)

Today starts with its own song
sung by birds on the high wire
before the children go to school
and mothers go out shopping

sung by birds on the high wire
phrases fall like morning vespers
and mothers go out shopping
their loving lists in hand

phrases like morning vespers
weave with words of homemakers
their loving lists in hand
bird to word in suburban song

weaves with words of homemakers
cars cough up and down the street
bird to word in suburban song
as tills ring gaily in reply

cars cough up and down the street
and talkback radio gossips in a gaggle
as tills ring gaily in reply
the lollipop man waves his baton

and talkback radio gossips in a gaggle
as urban traffic ebbs and flows
the lollipop man waves his baton
school bells peel and sirens wail

as urban traffic ebbs and flows
now the children are in school
malls mellow with muzak melodies –
each day starts with its own song.


Andrew Burke