Rory Hawkins

After Gerard David’s The Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Golden babe Jesus knows
something’s out of place. At least
this tit knows where
it’s meant to be.
Madonna’s eyes strain down since
learning not to try. The longer
you look, the stranger
this nativity.
Holland pines surrender another
pair. Bodies coronated blue
as a steely trooper launches
toward blessed ass.
How many of Herod’s hunt
in grey ghillie suits?
How many Marys hailed
by Dutch musket-fire?
Author: Rory Hawkins is an English/Irish-grown & Meanjin/Brisbane-based Creative Writing student in his third year, who aspires to work in editing and publishing so he can tell other people how to write better than him. As a 2022 Shortlister for the Allen & Unwin prize, with prose and poetry in QUT’s Glass magazine, previous issues of ScratchThat, read aloud with QUT Lit Salon, and occasionally on his Instagram @rory_writes_sometimes, his work is clearly just the best. Which is his opinion. Which is a fact. That he says.
Artist: Cyndra Galea (she/they) is in the third year of her Bachelor of Fine Art’s in Creative Writing with a minor in Professional Communications. When not found with her head in a book or three, Cyndra can be found radioactive antique hunting, fixing classic cars with her dad, drawing on her iPad, or writing and editing her manuscript. Cyndra aims to work as a structural editor when she finishes her Masters of Editing and Publishing, but also dreams of releasing novels of their own.
Editors: Kelly Rouzbehi and Euri Glenn