to a fisherman & pukeko
to a fisherman
with his rod whipping
back i thought to ask
‘what, friend, do you
hope to catch late this
last day of the year?’
the sun of this summer
day just a cool glow now
in grey going out on the
west, the low tide
still running deep in
its channel dark with the
coming evening,
before i asked i already knew
‘the next year at least, the
only sure thing, the only
sure catch’.
walking on up along
that road out to the point
i asked the pukeko
‘what, friend, do you hope
to catch late this last
evening of the year?’
it turned its head toward
me, the one foot lifted,
stilled in mid-step and
told me ‘nothing certain
last day of the year or
not, nothing certain’
and plunged on into
the wind-knocked hay
of that high field
31 december 2015
Te Naupata, Musick Point
Wonderful imagery. You sum up the essence of the end of a summer day perfectly. Your description of the pukeko is one that we all recognise.