# Poem: 'The Contract' by Alex Campbell

### Responding to one of 60 Speed Poetry Prompts

Jun 17, 2026

Today we’re pleased to publish the poem **‘The Contract’ by Alex Campbell**, in response to the prompt ‘homesick’ from [60 Speed Poetry Prompts, thanks to Echoes from the Cave Inn.](https://upliftpoetry.substack.com/p/60-speed-poetry-prompts)

**The Contract**

My love, we’ve made a deal with the devil  
In exchange for star sprinkled skies,  
We got Lights, Camera, Action!  
Twenty-Four / Seven convenience,  
and safety first!  
Sweet frog song, remember that?  
Instead, we have a head banging metal band of  
clattering, honking traffic and police sirens  
all  
night  
long  
Remember the subtle splashes of the forest?  
One hundred different tones of green and brown,  
Occasionally, a primary colour on a bird’s wing or flower  
We sold our souls to receive advertising in 360 degree  
fluorescent rainbow spew  
My love, is there some way to call the demon back?  
Somewhere there must be fine print we missed,  
that said we would both be infected,  
with go getter madness.  
Remember, when we would give each other an inventory  
of each animal and plant we saw that day?  
Instead of sitting with the frog song,  
we sit with the television,  
and yes, it takes us away from the grit and the grind,  
but it’s taken us away from ourselves,  
and each other.  
The devil warned us that the grass is always greener,  
But did you realise there would be no green at all?

* * *

**About the author**

Alex Campbell is a queer, Audhd writer from the city of Magan-djin /Brisbane, living and working on the stolen lands of the Turrbul and Jagerra people. Sometimes Alex turns their poems into songs for local folk -rock band ‘Full Power Happy Hour’.