Today we continue with more poems from Ali Cobby Eckermann’s award winning novel Ruby Moonlight, following on from two posted a couple of weeks ago

The young woman has ‘survived’ the massacre.

Ochre

green and bright blue flits of colour
swirl in a malled-grey underground
amid constant bird song harmony

along the riverbank bee eaters
dart rainbows around her head
as she paints her body with yellow ochre

splash crimson on bleeding eyes
through the tunnel of darkness
honour the dead

Wander

the desert of her mind has determined wanderings
longer than forty days and nights
lead only by instinct

awakening from the deep trauma of tragedy
she whispers away the nightmares
drives out forbidden memory with smoke

her campfire will remain eternal
conflict between love and hate
will turn to ash

dying embers are carried by coolamon
tradition meanders a well-worn path
along a comforting river

red robins puff their breasts
fanning embers back to flame
a campsite is revealed

at last the woman rests her weariness
rests her grief
and smells rain

Ali Cobby Eckermann
Ruby Moonlight 
Magdala 2012