The Poem of the Month for October 2024, selected by 2024 Anthology editors Ivan Rehorek (Avalanche) and Martha Landman, is degustazione orgasmico by Peter Mahoney. The commended poems are Snake Dancer Day by Maria Koukouvas and Three, with Attitude by Jacqui Merckenschlager.
degustazione orgasmico
Peter Mahoney
one does not on a plate with a knife and a fork
eat a large byblos special from pizza pizzazz on goodwood road
on $15 Tuesdays
served by an Indian guy smiling the friendliest white teeth
or the second generation Greek owner flattering me with a glint and a smile in her
southern brown eyes
no, one makes mad, hasty, slurping, indecent love with it
barely out of the box
to the sound of broken glasses, spilled wine and gender specific expletives
barely time to pour the unlabelled shiraz cabernet or was it cabernet shiraz I don’t care because I love you!
I love you
salty
Snake Dancer Day
Maria Koukouvas
It was a snake dancer sort of day
and the sun put on a big fry up,
everything flambé and those
trendy grill marks,
the trees curled their leaves,
jealous of moisture.
Snake’s skin feasted on hot light,
energy, slip and vim,
death verdict for mice, tasty, nice,
hidden in the vines,
gorging on hapless meat.
It was a snake sizzler sort of day,
humans in love with aircon,
hiding from calories of light
roads of bubbling licorice.
A python is a diamond
dancing shoe to be,
carver of line ‘s’ in blistered bitumen,
but – for today,
it was a snake dancer sort of day….
Three, with Attitude
Jacqui Merckenschlager
Sal was intent, icing the cake
for her three-year-old
a delicate blue lake
three elegant swans
and ripples tickling
the edging reeds
an artist’s touch.
But red-head Juliet stood
pouting, feet apart,
hands on hips
indignant and ignored
protesting her exclusion
outside the locked door.