illustration of a woman looking out a window at space stars moon by Bonnie Burns

Between Walls

Art by Bonnie Burns

A girl imagines she could jump.

Despite a window in place,

and four metres of space.

Still, she imagines.

 

                          Above her,

 

the noise is – 

Leaking.

Through his head

phones he can hear –

it.

It’s not quite a buzz –

he can hear it even though

it’s not quite a buzz and

He’s wearing his headphones and

it’s leaking.

 

The girl adjacent wants you to 

Please excuse the pun.

As she speaks, the room

cannot find the pun.

 

                            Yet, 

 

The room does not exist

but for his eyes,

Thinks a boy as he

lets his hand fall,

between their two chairs.

 

The man in the corner pulls at his hair

because he is looking at the girl looking

at the window

imagining she could jump.

 

 

 

 

Think your name would look good in print? Woroni is always open for submissions. Email write@woroni.com.au with a pitch or draft. You can find more info on submitting here.

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Woroni, Woroni Radio and Woroni TV are created, edited, published, printed and distributed. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge that the name Woroni was taken from the Wadi Wadi Nation without permission, and we are striving to do better for future reconciliation.