by BRADLEE JENNINGS

East to East

an autumn road trip through Victoria: a tanka string

three cooling towers
pierce the Gippsland morning sky
through the fog blanket
unannounced and surprising
they call back to bygone wars

rail bridges unused
rotting yet so beautiful
Orbost shows its face
should we go farther or not
remains a win-win question

red planes over farms
make the back roads come alive
until their loops end
gifting us impromptu joy
a welcome break from the drive

cattle to the left
and hawks on the horizon
as I return home
to where my old self resides
until this one takes its place