It was a hot and humid Morning. Boys crowded the room. We waited, shouting, throwing Things at each other. Then like a Boxer he ran out of his Office and hurled his briefcase At the lectern. It collided, Knocking it sideways. He shouted Louder than us that we were all Young, naïve, undisciplined. Then he…
Author: Dove Grey
I'm 50.
Park Philosophy
Nature is, red rock stacked high. Nature is, the crush of fallen leaves underfoot. Nature is, a hand pulling putty out of a wall. And nature is the black and yellow bees hovering about the spiky red flowers of a pohutakawa bloom on a low bush. Nature is dirt. Nature is fire and smoke. Nature…
Gay
Let’s be all glamorous, You know you want to. Let’s be all free, And careless and happy. You know you didn’t want to fight the war, You didn’t even have to. Just say that you didn’t fight the war, And that you can’t, Fight it again. Come on, let’s go up to that bar, And…
Summer 1975
maoritangi para pool sun , sun , sun! my mother was only 27, when we made mud cakes and put little candles on the top of them. bitter pain bites into my leg just like insect bites i once had a brother. He was fine, no problems there, but for me. Now it’s all gone,…
Childhood
“Look mummy! There’s a shape-changer on the roof! First it was a man, and now it is a cougar!” “-Don’t be silly, boy, shape-changers don’t climb onto rooves.” “Yes yes! I saw it! He’s there.” The sun beat down on the mother and son, Their little tea party on the deck continued. Howard finished…
The Past
A yellow moon glowers, Over my homely mansion. A werewolf stalks on the pavement level. Here in the trees are the huge boughs, Of the neighborhood. We dwell, in the night-time, Above the ground, In a complex of closed apartments, Made of wood. The sickening dim light of the streets, Shines up weakly at the…
Living
I was reared in the Church of Don’t-Worry-About-It, Under Saint Nobody. Nobody has stayed by my side all my life. He never criticizes, or he doesn’t answer back. Nobody walks with me, So I walk with nobody. He’s fine. I went with him to the Wailing Wall, Where I began to bang my head. My…
Knowledge
Why should I go into the fields, wander slow… The grass doesn’t want me there! I have no reason, to stay in the house, Drinking tea and staring at the pattern On the wallpaper. Perhaps I should run, go somewhere, Where to? There is nothing of any significance farther away, Except mountains, snow, a river…
Christening
If I was last, I would know, How swiftly the current goes. There it falls, a chalice of pewter, Down it falls, and splash! In the flow, Of dirty city water. An entire life fell from my hands, Its freedom, its happiness and its fulfilment. For a forefather’s burden, I let go, Joined the far…
Time Flies
Why put it off till later when you can do it now? Time is of the essence! Don’t wait, time flies, With wings of a hawk. First here, then years away, You’ll be unable to catch it if it goes, High in the sky, there it is – time. Reach for it if you want…
The Tron
The river gurgles deep, Although from the warrant-of-fitness station, I cannot see it. Concrete and steel. “Look here! Look at that!” Calls a boy in an army surplus shirt. Oil in the drain. “That’s the river! It goes right there!” Pointing downwards with his index finger. That night, after the admonition, A mihi…
The Son’s Confession.
One day I’ll be famous, with power and great wealth, I’d be in perfect body of sound mind and good health. Everyone will like me, I’d be of good repute, If a person contradicts me, my butler will refute Them, and put my reputation on a silver pedestal, No-one knows what else I do so…