Joel Ephraims
Joel Ephraims lives on the South-East Coast of NSW. He studies creative writing, philosophy, and literature at the University of Wollongong. In 2011 he won the Overland Judith Wright Poetry Prize and in 2013 his chapbook of poetry, Through The Forest was published as part of Australian Poetry and Express Media’s New Voices Series.
Vipassana Frog Pond after Meditation and Dawn
Dragonflies synch in misted dawn air
around mutated fingers of a dried dog turd white ash
tree; through the hyperbola your tea cup
spoon-end makes with the unseeablely starlight lipped sun.
Pond new birthed as a biologist stirred mid-dream,
usual as his motions vacuuming up fondue fountain crumbs.
Lilies lie green Pac-men recovering nonchalantly
from heavy drinking with mouths still open for ghosts.
Ripple of rain’s pear explosions programmed
by Blue Mountain weather intermittent in petroleum
tinctured water where larvae by gradations form.
All ghosts long eaten their eyes hover in room at bottom
unseen by orange fish mothers amongst their eggs.
Frogs reincarnated Pali teachers sing final chorus chants
echoing morning pond before Nirvana incognito;
Pac-men power pellet nourished drift over digesting sankharas.
On wooden tree walk rail your elbow crooked
player’s hand splayed toward clock and hushed breakfast hall…
Anicca Anicca Anicca…
Breakfast in the Hall of Shadows
blue blue blue blue blue blue blue blue
blue blue blue blue blue blue blue blue
attentions tune to metamorphosis of steams
mists movements of underworld personalities
lugubrious gods unravelling vista hides
raisins rice grains floating volcanic islets
mirage filmed tongues oasis held spoons
curling yogurts water machine clarity
sighing form behind green mesh glides
melody of beasts burning in nestled forests
blue blue blue blue blue blue blue blue
blue blue blue blue blue blue blue blue