Today my daughter turns 3. That she is my daughter, I thank all gods, wherever, whoever. 3 years of that luminous, kiss-me skin, those spontaneous cuddles, the sing-song little voice. People say she looks like her father, but most people don’t see past her golden curls to arrive at that decision. Because, she is me [...]

Sat in the soft sand to stretch my aching calves this morning. I’m a lazy toad of late, so it was easy to decide to stay a while and contemplate. I treated my eyes to the view down the morning-gold sand, past the quicksilver-gleam of surfers and out to sea. Half-way to the horizon [...]

In this hothouse of seemingly endless potential, there’s something potently alluring about you. I want to rip you from your vine, rub your petals to my florid cheek, to barely-there kiss you with these ruby lips, and wear you in my hair. I feel an irrestible urge to inhale your intoxicating scent deep into my [...]

He was bare-chested when he opened the door. My question, being formed and ready, fell from my mouth without a hint of a stumble, despite my attention wandering all over him. As he answered, I did not so much listen, as lip-read the details. He seems nervous when we speak, I think I may scare [...]

Upstairs with you now, into your comfort beds,
and sleep my little ones, sleep.
Now is not the time for questions,
Nor even for one more glass of water.
Close your sweet eyes and dream your fantastic dreams.
No, the light will not be left on.
Sleep long my darling and sleep well my love.
It is not a monster.
Good night my [...]

The beach, it’s my thing. For me, it is the waves, the water, the colours, the never-the-same constancy, the sand between my toes. This sand: ancient, eroded, siliceous, calcareous, choc-o-block with past-lives; sticks to my arse when I sit.

Eliza (pictured) hails from Brunswick Heads. He followed his heart to the Big Smoke in 2004…he still feels out of place.