Variable South East
Wet rocks and tree roots on the descent
make me afraid of falling—
feet and heart are focused on rescue.
The silence and peace of this place
creeps through on birdsong.
Grainy morning light
clears slowly across the valley.
As we emerge from the trees
the sun explodes in our faces
blinding us with red-yellow fire.
In the garden after strong winds
and rain, the ground is covered
with camellia flowers in full bloom
bleeding carmine crush
into the ground.
Geraldine Stoneham was born in London to Irish parents and migrated with her family to Australia as a child. After graduating from university, she returned to the UK, where she lived and worked for many years. In 2023 she returned to South Australia, and is writing a series of poems about moving and migration based on her experience of rootlessness. She has published in Finished Creatures, Obsessed with Pipework, Ink, Sweat & Tears and Butcher’s Dog.