Jane is an Australian based New Zealander who writes poetry for pleasure. She loves the challenge of writing a short poem, as well as poems with an unusual form. She uses poetry in therapy, especially with those facing serious illness.

Jane Daoud

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Soccer sevenling

Leaving the wayward ball a young man stops and exclaims, mate, those trees look so nice.
He snaps a memory of sun caressing hushing green, and joins him, the two curled together
in the goal circle talking.
I swift the stray ball back so it arrives noiselessly nearby.

My father often said go and ask your mother, while staring at the lawnmower.
He could hold us in a crisis, but cuddles weren't for teenagers.
He worked a lot and recorded our holidays on a camcorder.

It is January 2024, and parliament debates the need for compulsory military service.