Lucilia Cuprina — an Ode (SB Wright)

first beat of spring
careening down chimney
full bore into wall,
window pane, again
again.

daylight moth snared
by sun – carry on in vain
til spent; flaring,
failing filament
in backstroked spasms
on the sill

silent.

life erupts
wriggling free from
bulbous husk,
such plenty that one
might fall,
find some scrap or
cat food bowl.

there.
all life; death
in one space.
all lessons
in its maligned
embrace.


SB Wright was born in the town of Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land, though most of his life has been spent in Alice Springs. A graduate of NTU he has spent his adult working life as a security guard, a martial arts instructor, a trainer in an international gaming company and currently works as a primary school teacher.

His work has been published in Tincture Journal, INDaily Adelaide, Eureka Street, Bluepepper, Writ Poetry Review and the anthologies The Stars Like Sand and Poetry & Place 2015.