Broken

How to play this drum
now the hide is torn
unpinned from the blackwood shell
the goat wounded again

now the hide is torn
it stumbles and can't get up
the goat, wounded again,
bleating for mulga country

it stumbles and can't get up
parchment-thin and limp
bleating for mulga country
this flat sound of sorrow

parchment-thin and limp
unpinned from the blackwood shell
this flat sound of sorrow
how to play this drum

© Karen Knight