It’s 2056 and Darwin still doesn’t have its promised hoverport…

24 September 2013

Coming Soon 
A short story written by Sophie Constable. 
This is a preview. 

Sophie Constable attended ‘Planting the Seed’, four writing sessions held in the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens. She wrote this short story inspired by the rainforest section of the gardens. Sophie is a member of the Northern Territory Writers Centre.

It’s 2056 and Darwin still doesn’t have its promised hoverport…

It’s 2056 and Darwin still doesn’t have its promised hoverport, I thought. Fancy having to transit from a seaplane to a 4WD. 

The seaplane arced over the harbor basin before sinking its belly into the waves. I took in the occasional wooden fishing prow, the derelict apartment buildings above the cliffs as we taxied. Quite the change of scene after the Singapore summit: yesterday I’d been cheering the new Pan-Asian President and today… but you can’t ignore a prime directive from Director Adachi. I grabbed my kit.

en plein air

19 September 2013

 

This morning was the first of four en plein air writing sessions, Planting the Seed. The idea is to begin writing, a poem, prose to begin the process and see what grows. The sessions are held in the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens as part of my residency. We are meeting under the George Brown Eco House which is in the Snakebean Community Gardens near the Orientation Centre, Geranium Street entrance. We start at 7.30am, walk to a writing spot and write for half an hour then share our writing with the group. Afterwards there is a possibility of tea or coffee. An opportunity to share a writing experience. It is free. Everyone welcome.

This morning we began in the monkey bean trees.

en plein air

Before work and life and busyness of day five women write.

I listen

the man and lawn mower must be aware

I know there are places he must not go

asbestos fibres lie in wait

if disturbed will begin

their own mow down work

a jet comes here

goes there

goes somewhere

traffic roars like a flooded river

sprinklers sprink

making rain

birds call

too many to name

I know you don’t want a list

the shopping is enough

I listen

seasonal drought

unhooks leaves

a spider blinks

water pumps

from root to leaf

shade captures fallen light