Published in Overland Issue 247 Winter 2022 · Poetry Poetry | Our song Dave Drayton I. cull Monday CULL barb drinks burden sass MONDAY mouths burn BARBURDENODE DRINKSASSYRUPS node syrups MOUTHSHOTROPES shot nooses tropes’ suds BURNOOSESUDS gunned rope SUNGUNNEDRUM BESTIROPEPARCH sung bestir NOWISETICLEAVE drum eparch nowise iamb IAMBEINGSEEP cleave seep LOWEST GROG etic beings lowest grog cull Monday bar burden ode drinks as syrup mouths hot ropes burnoose suds sun-gunned rum best I rope parch now I set I cleave I am being seep lowest grog II. loud vacuum LOUD jows versed snores dust VACUUM famous hymn JOWSNORESUCH VERSEDUSTERROR such terror FAMOUSORNAIVER sorn nobody naiver yowe HYMNOBODYOWE towers gift BESTOWERSTAB EBBINGIFTAWDRY best ebbing PREACHASPICKET stab tawdry preach bets BETSECUREDIT picket edit BEYOND LOCK hasp secure beyond lock loud vacuum jowl snore such verse dust error famous or naiver hymn: O body owe bestowers tab ebbing if tawdry preach as picket bet secured it beyond lock III. gust system GUST sang cometh gather heat SYSTEM nearer sing SANGATHERODE COMETHEATIBIAS rode tibias NEARERAPTRUCKS rapt gallop trucks pine SINGALLOPINE hooves move ARCHOOVESONG ABLOOMOVELITES arch abloom PETALSWAYEARLY song elites petals wave WAVECHOICERE yearly cere MUSICS PACE sway echoic music’s pace gust system sang at her ode comet heat I bias nearer apt rucks sing all opine arc, hoove song abloom O velites’ petal sway early, wave choice re: music’s pace Dave Drayton Dave Drayton was an amateur banjo player, founding member of the Atterton Academy, and the author of British P(oe)Ms (Beir Bua Press), E, UIO, A (Container), P(oe)Ms (Rabbit), Haiturograms (SOd Press) and other works. More by Dave Drayton › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 5 November 2025 · Poetry Force posture agreement Miroslav Sandev The men of Darwin have all taken their rottweilers / out for a walk at the same time. / For our protection. Like Pine Gap: / all those big white eyes that scan / the darkening horizon. / The eyes stay woke, so that we may sleep. / Or so they say. 1 22 August 202522 August 2025 · Poetry starmight K.A Ren Wyld Ending genocide and apartheid is the story. Palestinian liberation is the story. / Aboriginal rights is the story. Truth, justice, treaties and land back is the story. / Global Indigenous peoples’ solidarity and joy is the story. Kinship is the story.
