Poems Niederngasse
h
Barbara De Franceschi

The works of Emile Zola, leather bound
copyright Walter J Black 1928


Lettered mustiness
paper tissue thin
sordid detail
infatuation with ordinary people
French infamy
& the mystery
of Marseilles
 
how many other hands
have ached with sin
caressed
this natural temperament
riffled through
A Miller's Daughter
Jacques Damour
Angeline
 
I make a desperate effort
to reflect before the fade
into another bedchamber
prostitution
pale lies
set in a gloomy background
of vivid hates
abominable death
 
each paginated tragedy
not yet acidic or brittle
to how many
generations
will I bequeath this
human conscience
before it crumbles
like the yellow tulle
on an aged bridal veil
hh
Barbara De Franceschi: "I am an Australian poet living in the small outback mining town of Broken Hill. I am married to an Italian migrant, have a grown family of five and a heap of grandchildren. My work has been published in literary journals throughout Australia and also on line USA. A collection of poems, Lavender Blood was published in 2004. I also belong to a performing group who take poetry to the people at art festivals, caravan parks, tourists events and anywhere we find an ear to listen."  email:  B De Franceschi