Inside the Room

By Judy Rafferty

'Inside the Room is a collection of thoughtful reflections on the emotional work which forms and maintains human relationships from a poet who has spent a career helping people with the challenges of human being.' - Dr Christopher Lee, Professor of English, Griffith University

Judy Rafferty is a poet, psychologist and author. She

• Language: English
• Publisher: Debbie Lee
• Release date: Sep 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781760419912

Book preview

Inside the Room

Inside the Room

Judy Rafferty

Ginninderra Press

Inside the Room

ISBN 978 1 76041 991 2

Copyright © Judy Rafferty 2020

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All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. Requests for permission should be sent to the publisher at the address below.

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First published 2020 by

Ginninderra Press

PO Box 3461 Port Adelaide 5015

www.ginninderrapress.com.au

Contents

Preface

Inside the Room

All characters and situations in these works are fictional. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and due in whole to the commonality of human experience.

Preface

These works have been inspired by my own life observations and my listening experience as a psychologist. ‘Inside’ refers not only to the private space of my consulting room but also to the inner life each of us experiences. Some of the poems are written in the first person but, in truth, they speak as a collective voice telling stories of love, loss and life that we all share. They are, I believe, stories that belong to all of us.

Inside the Room

Amour

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He rode into marriage on his charger

Armour shining

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Inside the marriage

She held the head of his steed

Caressing it

Confusing its warrior spirit

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She suggested he dismount

The better to chat and wash up together

On the ground

He clanked and bumped into knick-knacks

And felt foolish

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She suggested he remove his armour, a piece here, and there

He left pieces around the house

He left pieces over his heart and head and back

The better to protect himself

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She suggested it was her or the armour

One would have to go

His armour lies in the shed, dulled and rusting

He lies watching TV

Wearing his tracksuit and his shame

Eternally

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You lie

Amidst us

Boxed and ready