Single-parented most of the time, it's a wonder
I turned out as well as I did. One day he sailed
away – travelling salesman hawking his sword
arm to the highest bidder. I don't think she, the
endlessly patient, cared that much – content to
ravel and unravel in her tower – keeping at bay
the ravenous suitors. So when he finally turned
up, paunchy and short-sighted, she pecked each
cheek then went back to her loom – left the old
man shuffling downstairs with his interminable
monster-beating yarns, a bad back, and his beer
31.0: EPIC
Poetry Editor Ali AlizadehReleased 1 December 2009
Index of Poems
Cover image: Eddy Burger
Our thirty-first issue was suitably gigantic, with poetry editor Ali Alizadeh selecting a wide range of epic works. Read his editorial, then check out the craziness of the sequel, POST-EPIC.






epic hero turns into puritanical old australian