for Natalie

Over the ridge,
down through the ravine
where the sky cannot see

and the goat tracks
hide their serrations,
there is a great

yawn of pasture.
I went there today
far from this monument.

I peeled myself
from this stiff bed
threw off sheets

fed them to flame
felt the fizz of motion
and ran and ran and ran.

* * * * *

An emerging poet from Toowoomba, Luke Best has held numerous atypical jobs such as Pest Controller and Postie and aspires towards a career as a Fireman. His poetry stems from an upbringing in his beloved Darling Downs and is based on regional idiosyncrasies found therein. A child of the 80s, he shares his birth year with influences like Sarah Holland-Batt and LK Holt. He was highly commended in the 2010 Thomas Shapcott prize.

This is his first contribution to Snake-Oil Cure

Guest-edited by Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke