Tuesday poem: Rapunzel’s lesson, and trans-Tasman co-operation
October 1, 2012
Rapunzel’s lesson
And after they have stopped swarming up
massing like armoured lice, itching, pulling…
What then?
Nothing in this world in free, she said, dear
mother, before she died, like all mothers
in this castellated world.
And she was right. After the long climb
they ask for my hand. Hair, rope-pulled,
then hand, for life.
I’ve learnt. I flick my golden ladder
and watch them free-fall, moat-wards,
screaming, motes of shiny dandruff.
And then I comb my hair.
P.S. Cottier
‘Rapunzel’s lesson’ was highly commended in The Bridge Foundation poetry competition, October 2009.
In an exciting development (well exciting for me, anyway) Tim Jones and I will soon begin editing a book of Australian speculative poetry. As you all know, that’s science fiction, fantasy, horror and magic realism. It will be published by Interactive Publications of Queensland. The book will contain new poems as well as previously published works, so watch out for the call for submissions and further details, dear fellow Australians of a poetic bent.
I am looking forward to working with Tim, who I have only met electronically. Amazing what a little Tuesday Poem can bring about. As he has previously edited Voyagers with Mark Pirie, he has the runs on the board, speculatively speaking.
So the little fantasy poem above is a tribute to Books Yet to Come.
Tim Jones
I spent most of the weekend at the Conflux science fiction convention in Canberra, where I met some poets who I will spank with Rapunzel’s hairbrush if they do not submit to the anthology.
They have been warned…
For further poetry, press this raven’s feather. Never say nevermore, chickies.
PS Cottier 
Love the poem, and excited to hear about your upcoming editorial adventures! Look forward to hearing updates.
Thank you Leah! Will certainly give updates.
This poem is head and shoulders above the competition! As, of course, shall be our anthology … (sudden, paranoid thought) … what if, even now, other teams of editors are bent to the plough, frantically putting together rival Australian speculative poetry anthologies? “Asteroid” and “Deep Impact”, “The Prestige” and “The Illusionist”, “Titanic” and “Big” … there are precedents!
Don’t worry, Tim. Auntie Penelope will take these rival editors out on an excursion to ‘the farm’. That’s the same ‘farm’ where idiot parents tell their children that dogs have gone, when the dogs are, in fact, dead.
‘Getting my drift?
‘Like an iceberg, baby.’
And you seem to be obsessed with ploughs at the moment. Just saying.
Nice. Rapunzel should always be so feisty. And of course it goes without saying – congratulations and good luck to Tim and you for your Australian anthology.
Yes, if the anthology goes well we’ll claim him as Australian…
Glad you like a feisty blonde as much as I do, Alicia.
A very cool poem! And congrats on your new venture with Tim…that’s exciting!
Yes, it’s even alarming, when I think how much work will be involved. But it should also be fun, as I love good speculative poetry. Note that adjective!
Thank you for your cool, too.
Oh my gosh this is so delightfully frank. I just love it. Looking forward to hearing more about your adventure with Tim. Congrats!
Frank is good! I’m better at frank than subtle.
Cheers Michelle.