[Cairns in Summer] after nights, long and humid.

By Regan Chern

Artwork by Bethany Moss

[Cairns in Summer] after nights, long and humid.

Burning ants in my kitchen,
	1am collapse of inhibition.
	Sketch of queuing bodies to 
	A banana peel. Thought 
	The crème brulee torch
	For an infestation.

Could’ve waited, opened windows, 
	Let in honeyeaters by dawn. 
	And then neighbours’ cats 
			to eaters 
				to ants 
					to a peel.

They’ve descended on my Coke,
	Six fall: curl into worn-out scythes,
	Coffins made in carbonated baubles. 
	Leftovers run serpentine from char 
		and death pools.

Others seek such razor-edges. 
	Looking for: a thrill,
		A fill.

Author Bio

Regan is in his final year of a BFA (Creative Writing) at QUT etc.… do you really need to know more than that? You could be reading my work instead, you know. It’s far better than any dry self-aggrandising drivel that I could’ve written for this bio.

If you’d like to contact me, do so through my Instagram: @regancchern