Originally from Saskatchewan, Lake has lived in Vancouver, Cape Breton Island, Ibiza, Tasmania, Melbourne & often retreated to Sicily. He has published two collections; Tasmanian Tiger Breaks Silence (1988); Sand in the Sole (2014). Lake won Elwood Poetry Prize 2015 and Lost Tower Publications (UK) Poetry Comp 2017. 2016/17: poems accepted in Australia by Meniscus, Plumwood Mountain Journal, POAM, Poetica Christi Anthology, Verge, Yours&Mine, Mossie, StylusLit , Cordite Poetry Review, Underground Poets & Pink Cover Zine.

Allan Lake

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Breaking News

According to repetitive 24-hour world
news there's a lot to worry about but
outside my dusty window there's a white
plastic shopping bag on the move.
Crumpled captive of fickle breezes,
it seems to breathe, heads left then right,
tumbles drunken into on-coming
then lies still till blown again.

I think it could be a homeless metaphor
but there are so many of them
on the streets these days and
you can't help them all.