‘some generosities’ by Jazz Money
where does the wind begin
and how to make my body fit
into the spaces left in the hollowed out trees
I want to surrender to the clay and ash of this landscape
let the paper daisies remember
only a song
there has been a story carrying every night from the inland
see here the branches contour against the path it cleaves
when overcome I push my toes into the grit of this place
notice every flower gathered petalled and leafed
the generosity to keep this wholeness together
when every shifting wind is an invitation
to fall apart
‘some generosities’ was written in reverence for the ways that Country teaches us grace, generosity and balance. When overwhelmed by a world that can be so full of grief, Country teaches us ways to adapt to change and pressure, without losing our true selves to the process.
There are times when I want to run away from this society and its horrors, dissolve into landscapes that have known the stories of my family since the first sunrise. But I see the ways that the flowers continue to bloom, that the sun continues to greet us with radiant light, and I know that my responsibility is to the here and now. To be present and steadfast, the way that a branch yields to the wind without falling from the tree. That there are moments that need me to be gentle and others that require determined resistance, and the importance to hold both true.
I learn so much by observing the ways that Country responds to human interventions, both the loving and the violent.
Country speaks in a language of abundance. It teaches us how to look closely, to listen deeply, to be present, to think about what has come before, to anticipate what will come next.
Country teaches us that time is not a linear progression from A to B, but a constant cycling through story and place that connects us always to what has been, and what is yet to be revealed.
In this way, care and respect is always greeted with generosity. Take a moment to look to the horizon and listen closely: what birdsong and beautiful light is waiting for you? And Country that is not tended to, that is exploited and harmed, replies to this most grievous disrespect with flooding fury and raging fire.
I wrote ‘some generosities’ thinking about different places that have nurtured me, and my understanding that I become a part of the story of that place by my presence there. To be a part of the story is to have a responsibility to care for the interconnecting ways of Country, the way that Country cares for us in return.
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‘some generosities’ was first published in mark the dawn by Jazz Money (2024), University of Queensland Press
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Australian Poetry Month runs throughout August, including festivals, events, workshops and a commissioned poem of the day brought to you by Red Room Poetry. Find out more here