(Steller)

Relationship to Work

(Journal)
Published – 03.12.2018
(Writing)

“My Therapist Wants to Know about My Relationship to Work”

I hustle
upstream.
I grasp.
I grind.
I control & panic. Poke
balloons in my chest,
always popping there,
always my thoughts thump,
thump. I snooze — wake & go
boom. All day, like this I short
my breath. I scroll & scroll.
I see what you wrote — I like.
I heart. My thumb, so tired.
My head bent down, but not
in prayer, heavy from the looking.
I see your face, your phone-lit
faces. I tap your food, two times
for more hearts. I retweet.
I email: yes & yes & yes.
Then I cry & need to say: no-no-no.
Why does it take so long to reply?
I FOMO & shout. I read. I never
enough. New book. New post.
New ping. A new tab, then another.
Papers on the floor, scattered & stacked.
So many journals, unbroken white spines,
waiting. Did you hear that new new?
I start to text back. Ellipsis, then I forget.
I balk. I lazy the bed. I wallow when I write.
I truth when I lie. I throw a book
when a poem undoes me. I underline
Clifton: today we are possible. I start
from image. I begin with Phillis Wheatley.
I begin with Phillis Wheatley. I begin
with Phillis Wheatley reaching for coal.
I start with a napkin, receipt, or my hand.
I muscle memory. I stutter the page. I fail.
Hit delete — scratch out one more line. I sonnet,
then break form. I make tea, use two bags.
Rooibos again. I bathe now. Epsom salt.
No books or phone. Just water & the sound
of water filling, glory — be my buoyant body,
bowl of me. Yes, lavender, more bubbles
& bath bomb, of course some candles too.
All alone with Coltrane. My favorite, “Naima,”
for his wife, now for me, inside my own womb.
Again, I child back. I float. I sing. I simple
& humble. Eyes close. I low my voice,
was it a psalm? Don’t know. But I stopped.

- Tiana Clark

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The Long Climb to the Podium,
Limelight Magazine

Published – 06.09.2024

(Articles & Program Notes)

ECHO Rising Stars: Mathis Stier,
Barbican

Published – 04.04.2024

(Journal)

ECHO Rising Stars: Sonoro Quartet,
Barbican

Published – 12.02.2024

(Journal)

ECHO Rising Stars: Aris Quartett,
Barbican

Published – 21.01.2024

(Journal)

Rehearsal Magazine: The Archive,
Rehearsal Magazine

Published – 18.12.2023

(Articles & Program Notes)

On Mothers and Daughters,
Melbourne Recital Centre & Rubiks Collective

Published – 23.08.2023

(Journal)

Review: The Horror of the Avant-Garde(s),
Limelight Magazine

Published – 21.08.2023

(Journal)

Cristina Gomez Godoy,
Barbican

Published – 10.03.2023

(Journal)

Diana Tishchenko & José Gallardo,
Barbican

Published – 10.01.2023

(Articles & Program Notes)

Recent Reviews: August/September,
Limelight Magazine

Published – 07.09.2022

(Journal)

Of Frogs,
Kath Papas Productions

Published – 07.09.2022

(Journal)

Recent Reviews: June/July,
Limelight Magazine

Published – 15.07.2022

(Journal)

On Kunstkamer
Published – 16.06.2022

(Articles & Program Notes)

An Update
Published – 09.06.2022

(Journal)

Recent Reviews: April/May,
Limelight Magazine

Published – 23.05.2022

(Journal)

I Vespri Siciliani,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Published – 19.05.2022

(Articles & Program Notes)

Verdi & Prokofiev,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Published – 19.05.2022

(Articles & Program Notes)

A Collection
Published – 23.03.2022

(Journal)

Crying at Night
Published – 27.08.2021

(Journal)

Jam Tomorrow
Published – 18.07.2021

(Journal)

Rumaan Alam’s Current Enthusiasms
Published – 18.06.2021

(Journal)

A Musician’s Day
Published – 23.05.2021

(Journal)

Creating the Dream Team,
Musica Viva

Published – 20.05.2021

(Interviews)

There are Fairies,
Canberra Symphony Orchestra

Published – 26.04.2021

(Articles & Program Notes)

Konstantin Shamray,
Musica Viva

Published – 14.04.2021

(Interviews)

The Meaning of Alleluja,
Bach Akademie Australia

Published – 26.03.2021

(Articles & Program Notes)

Doing The Work
Published – 07.03.2021

(Journal)

Diana Doherty and Emma Jardine,
Musica Viva

Published – 20.02.2021

(Interviews)

Welcoming the New Year
Published – 07.01.2021

(Journal)

On hard times, for my friends.
Published – 10.08.2020

(Journal)

Luisa Miller,
Intermusica

Published – 22.07.2020

(Interviews)

Singing Violetta,
Intermusica

Published – 22.07.2020

(Interviews)

On Wondering
Published – 29.04.2020

(Journal)

A Couple Quick Things
Published – 05.04.2020

(Journal)

Staying Hopeful
Published – 24.03.2020

(Journal)

Hard Time Reminders
Published – 16.03.2020

(Journal)

Noted, Recently
Published – 05.03.2020

(Journal)

Through Winter, To Spring
Published – 04.03.2020

(Journal)

Poems for Summer
Published – 05.01.2020

(Journal)

Nevermind Review,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Seraphim Trio Review,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Stalin’s Piano Review,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Review,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Horsely & Williams Duo Review,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Lina Andonovska Review,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Brian Cox & MSO,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Arcadia Winds Review,
The Age

Published – 17.11.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Nevermind Pre-Concert Talk,
Musica Viva

Published – 22.10.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Nicole Car in Recital,
Melbourne Recital Centre

Published – 09.08.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Published – 03.07.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Verdi’s Requiem,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Published – 19.05.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

Requiem Blog,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Published – 20.03.2019

(Articles & Program Notes)

New Year, New Words
Published – 20.01.2019

(Journal)

How To Be Perfect
Published – 06.01.2019

(Journal)

The Year, Gone
Published – 30.12.2018

(Journal)

Relationship to Work
Published – 03.12.2018

(Journal)

French Classics,
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Published – 28.11.2018

(Articles & Program Notes)

Everything is Waiting
Published – 15.11.2018

(Journal)

In September, Things That Are New
Published – 29.09.2018

(Journal)

Make the Ordinary Come Alive
Published – 03.09.2018

(Journal)

New Music,
Darmstädter Ferienkurse

Published – 12.08.2018

(Articles & Program Notes)

Notes on Love
Published – 06.07.2018

(Journal)

Remember This Feeling
Published – 05.06.2018

(Journal)

Words in Mind
Published – 18.05.2018

(Journal)

Away From Home
Published – 16.05.2018

(Journal)

The Blank Page
Published – 14.05.2018

(Journal)

On Music and Friendship,
Orchestra Victoria

Published – 03.05.2018

(Articles & Program Notes)

Musical Directions
Published – 24.12.2017

(Journal)

Learning to Sing,
Rehearsal Magazine

Published – 17.12.2017

(Articles & Program Notes)

Behind-the-scenes of The Merry Widow,
Senza Sord

Published – 03.12.2017

(Interviews)

Musical Quirks,
Musica Viva

Published – 06.10.2017

(Articles & Program Notes)

Beauty and Tragedy,
Orchestra Victoria

Published – 24.07.2017

(Articles & Program Notes)

Eighth Blackbird,
The Music

Published – 23.02.2017

(Articles & Program Notes)

Schubert’s Swan Song
Published – 23.09.2016

(Articles & Program Notes)

Songmakers Australia,
Limelight Magazine

Published – 12.04.2016

(Interviews)

On Women in Music,
Ensemble Goldentree

Published – 05.03.2016

(Articles & Program Notes)

Grandma’s Hands,
Hundreds and Thousands

Published – 29.11.2014

(Articles & Program Notes)