One is One

Sarah Day

The hen has chosen eleven—

a prime number, indivisible

by any whole number,

except itself and one—

now she settles,

anticipating dawn’s arrival.

Conditions are good,

the air steady for days.

Majestic on her eleven eggs

she has built a bed of straw,

its hollow holds her brood,

prevents them from rolling.

At last, she can dream, or pray.

Casuarinas filter sky,

whisper to her of love,

and line her nest.

She fears neither dog

nor devil, nor falcon—

even roosters,

over her from dawn to dusk,

awed now by this oneness.

She has done with

automaton obsession—

scratch—step back—peck—

worm and seed can wait.

In the timeless hours, weeks, ahead

there will be just this stillness,

warm blood, breath, night, day,

the saltmarsh-laden breeze,

and the listening universe.

Oblivious to roosters,

their triumphalism,

their feuds and disputes,

their vanity and fabulous heraldry

she is already entranced, focused only

on life, insipient, igniting under her.

SARAH DAY’s poem ‘The Orphan’ was recently shortlisted for the Peter Porter Poetry Prize. Her books have won awards including the Queensland Premier’s and ACT poetry prizes. She has collaborated with musicians in the UK and Australia, and judged national poetry, fiction, and nature-writing competitions. Her ninth collection, Slack Tide (Pitt Street Poetry, 2022), was shortlisted for the Tasmanian Literary Awards.