During a momentary lull in her head,

the poor old thing lost her grip.

The boat she was towing towed her instead

ponderously down the slip.

backwards into the water.

For a swirling moment she almost floated,

she thought of setting sail.

But her bum tilted, her britches bloated —

she was heavy in the tail —

and the sly seaweed caught her.

I thought even then she might make a try

(she seemed to be righting her flank)

but she spun gravely, one eye on the sky,

gave a dignified splutter and sank.

The sea frothed briefly.

I don’t know — she wasn’t the kind to drift,

much less come apart at the seams.

But the sails and the clouds that day had a lift,

and perhaps she had some dreams.

It was a damn nuisance, chiefly.

© Rosemary Nissen-Wade 1974

from Universe Cat, Pariah Press (Melb.) 1985

Secret Leopard: New and selected poems 1974-2005, Alyscamps Press (Paris) 2005

First published Nation Review. 

Also in:

A Second Australian Poetry Book for Children, Oxford

Secondary English Book 3, Macmillan

Off the Record, Penguin

Penguin Book of Australian Women Poets