by Robyn Cairns

The family home
Sixty-six orange brick
Is full of sun
Bar coded through curtains
Onto green floral carpet
Photosynthesizing under our feet

Childhood orbited
One hundred
Wallpapered suns
My bedroom window pushed upwards
Inhaling spring jasmine
Smoothing suburban seventies textiles
Lemon chenille bedspread –
And soothing sunburnt skin

Linoleum glistens like new
For aunties, uncles and cousins
Pavlova and watermelon summers
Mum’s sponge cake birthdays –
The floating of marbled balloons

Inside these brick walls when
Winter footy roared
And spring horse races grated

I escaped

Down the river valley
Barefoot, wild and free

Now seventies board games spill
From the old cupboard
Full of family memories
Rainy day fun and sibling squabbles

The house rattles now

Too many memories
For one person

Tiny vases dot the kitchen windowsill
With home-grown flowers
Windows shut and lock forever
Mum moves on