S. K. Kelen


Three Sonnet-like Creatures from A Happening in Hades

Soaring California


Anaheim's street dogs barked rock and
roll all night, a southern Californian party
succubus appeared in the bathroom mirror,
smiled, torched the en-suite, her flames 
lit the motel room—fantasy-land firemen's flash flood
doused the fire, western-style. Flesh and spirit.
Ravening faux frippery kept proceedings slippery—
Doctor Sforzando woke from his prescription daze,
saw the future was robot and desert wind on a flat,
high-definition screen controlling people's lives.
Cold jetlag vision: hungry cars crawl the streets, 
stalk haunted people hunting for their car keys.  
Pay the succubus. Old Bacchus flies a Disney 
rocket ride, belly laughs, his spirit thrives.



Floating World


Pompoususs wrote to say how better 
Than anyone else’s his verse was, 
Spent too many words about it, and ah 
The world did not yet love him 
Quite enough. So full of laziness and crazy
With the world's voices, endless leaves
Piling in the roof gutters, how to reply?
I determined not to write that letter,
Not one letter. The years flew.
Fearless sprinted across a field, mad
Muscles whispered, crows and magpies, 
Sundry brown and mottled birds 
Paid attention, oh why is everything blue
Today, not bright, the sky dark and sad 
A day for never writing letters.	



More Words: Uses for a Father


Swing pusher human monkey bars punching bag
stroller roller ball thrower toy finder magic trick
performer hide and seeker wrestler piggy back
bear/dog/monkey/elephant/cat/tiger/bird-pretender 
trampoline story teller word teacher book reader 
picture drawer food feeder drink dispenser librarian 
taxi driver mess cleaner nappy changer bath maker 
towel dryer sleep rocker garden guide song singer 
fast bowler TV remote controller kite flier acrobat 
safety net fierce warrior guard horsey ride—now 
more words appear in my head pop out my mouth 
make me laugh—bird bath apple pie big brother go 
pick me up fight time cricket bat whack kick 
box new fun. Time to play football. We run.

S. K. Kelen is an Australian poet who has been writing longer than he cares to remember. He lives in a city where the reserves and parklands are inhabited by kangaroos, wallaroos, echidnas and many kinds of beautiful parrots and other wonderful animals. His most recent books are A Happening in Hades (Waratah, NSW: Puncher & Wattmann 2020), and Love’s Philosophy (Summer Hill, NSW: Gazebo Books 2020)

 
 

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