3 re-published poems from Stephen House

“her seagulls” published by Albany Poets USA / Literary Veganism USA

“rock” published by Broadkill Review USA

“salvation” published by Global Poemic / experimental-experimental-literature USA

her seagulls

if i’m heading to my room late
or grabbing food or a beer
i always say hello to a tall woman
who stands by the corner on and off 
from midnight until dawn most nights
outside of a burger shop 
and she always says hi back to me 
or we just smile and wave
 
she usually wears the same maroon dress
short with a plunging gold neckline
and red boots with stiletto toes and heels
with her thick long blonde hair dropped
over one shoulder in front
and there are always seagulls around her
 
last night i bought a vegan burger
on my way home from a bar
and sat inside the shop 
though not purposely but in view of her spot
and she didn’t mind me there and gave me a nod
as she chatted to passing men
and then leaned in the window of a black car 
to talk to the driver before he pulled away
 
a guy in the shop near me 
finished his burger and left 
and she came inside immediately as he did
and checked his scraps and what was left 
took outside to the squawking flapping seagulls
that had followed her to the door
and fed them chips and bun remains
 
and then came back inside again and took scraps
from another spot where a woman had been eating
and i commented on her feeding seagull activity
and she said in her deep voice “i do it between customers
because i love the seagulls and they love me”
 
she then went back outside as a silver car stopped
and fed her seagulls 
got in the car and it drove away
while the seagulls and i watched her disappear
all of us knowing our friend would soon be back 
standing on her corner

rock

i place a large rock on the footpath
and sit in a park to watch 
a woman with a child approaches rock
child stands on rock and mother takes a photo with her phone
they walk away from rock

an elderly man with a ginger dog pass rock
man glances at rock and dog pisses on rock
they walk away from rock
dog’s piss on rock dries in the sun

two teenage boys attempt to jump rock on their skateboards 
one boy does it successfully
other boy tries several times but does not make it over rock
he falls on rock and path
successful boy laughs at failure
they skate away from rock 

a young woman with bare feet stops at rock
she sits on rock and lights a cigarette
takes out her phone and sends a text message
she stands and makes a phone call
starts shouting into phone and kicks rock
i think she is crying
she limps away from rock still shouting into phone

i go to rock and cover rock with flowers i picked in the park
i can smell dog’s piss and cigarette smoke
i leave rock and go back to the park

a man dressed in an orange gown passes rock
he stops and looks at rock and walks away from rock
he returns and places flowers on rock 
lights a stick of incense and lays it on rock
holds his hands in prayer and walks away from rock

i go to rock and on my knees i worship rock
a rat peeps at me from under a bush near the footpath
i think he says something but i can’t be sure
rat and i stare into each other’s eyes
i cry and rat cries
we stop crying and smile at each other
i thank rock for my life
rat thanks rock for bringing me to meet him

rat can speak 
rock is god

salvation

hopeful genius dirty collar 
situation wonder claiming 
biting pencil scratching guess 
crossword puzzle giving answers
chewing gum tied back hair 
fiddle greasy grey pot smoking
is anyone granting wish on hope 
be it lost or found in this

pink-lipped mummies designer gym suits 
platform sneakers outing granted  
selfie shots gossip babble 
murmur giggle text on phone 
takeaway coffee gripping sipping 
keeping fast step separate pacing 
walk hard team power beauty temple 
pouting flee delivers health   

deal constructed business suits 
let’s go hey mate cool in awesome
check out new porn up online 
no lunch spot sit down here allowed
in shut down mode pull compensation 
feel strange new life in whine
did you see gay dude look at you 
paranoia sings fear gamble

and them dot tightly small group thrice 
on well-mowed lawn hedge square 
as kids run shouting cake shop gifting 
waiting birds squawk hopeful scrap 
day party happen easy rules 
social distance not held why
new work style no job or school 
manipulation welfare scandal 

and me alone same time day night 
no change i still cruise wander
a swim they say no too cold bloke 
gape smile back on chat concern
in plunge to sea remind my real 
salvation claim i scribe own journey
pack my bag when restricting travel lifts 
gain back my queer life amble



Bio:  
Stephen House has won many awards and nominations as a poet, playwright, and actor. He’s had 20 plays produced with many published by Australian Plays Transform. He’s received several international literature residencies from The Australia Council for the Arts, and an Asialink India literature residency. He’s had two chapbooks published by ICOE Press Australia: ‘real and unreal’ poetry and ‘The Ajoona Guest House’ monologue. His next book drops soon. He performs his acclaimed monologues widely