Performance

Portrait of Les Murray
Les Murray 1938–2019

I starred that night, I shone: I was footwork and firework in one,

a rocket that wriggled up and shot darkness with a parasol of brilliants and a peewee descant on a flung bit; I was blusters of glitter-bombs expanding to mantle and aurora from a crown, I was fouéttes, falls of blazing paint, para-flares spot-welding cloudy heaven, loose gold off fierce toeholds of white, a finale red-tongued as a haka leap: that too was a butt of all right!

As usual after any triumph, I was of course, inconsolable.

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