Current Issue + contents + contributors + thanks News Next Issue Submit Links About Contact Archive       Editor's note: This villanelle was inspired by Arthur Boyd's painting Melbourne Burning. To view Boyd's painting, read Kate Challis's tribute to Arthur Boyd, delivered at Trinity College at Melbourne Uni in 1999. The painting in question is on page 16. Flames enrage the fractured city skyline Crumbled like the vertebrae’s missing back And all is gone as if by God’s design A surer sight to see than drowned bovine Kicking up the water, pulling slack Flames enrage the fractured city skyline As if we didn’t see the neon sign Flashing on Flinders St—wrong track And all is gone as if by God’s design See! It’s civilization’s slow decline Watched by millions downing deaths six-pack Flames enrage the fractured city skyline We dug and found the cancer’s not benign As Melbourne’s fires are sponsored by Kodak And all is gone as if by corp. design It’s heavenly, angelic and most divine As annihilation plays its own soundtrack Flames enrage the fractured city skyline And all is gone as if by God’s design Do you have a comment about this piece? email your thoughts to Harbinger.