Knowing His Places
Looking back, he sees
places worth the knowing -
those early ones - waking
to the morning play
of light on plain walls,
soft green leaves framed
by stiff windows
with birds in, birds
on the lawn, birds
with worms; first stirrings.
Death is everyday.
Bobby calves no-one mentions
wait by the roadside.
In the butcher shop
hang lamb, veal, pork.
Clouds pass over. Some days
the mountain’s in place,
snow the sun shines on;
others, it's in hiding.
Dad comes home from work.
‘Good evening, father,
here are your slippers.’
Food is in the kitchen
with Mum and sister.
‘Look how the boy grows.’
Lightning splits a tree.
Somewhere a war ends,
elsewhere another.
Father has a new job,
a new place for him
to move to, find some place
to live. When it’s found,
he’ll send for family
waiting in a country
place, marking time.
Removed to that place
two days’ journey off,
son sees the same and
more - a river all summer
runs under its bridge
through shallows; rinsing
road-dust from feet,
they paddle in cool wet;
slow across blue sky
sun on their shoulders
is red hot reddening.
Mum has pink lotion.
The distant rush
of a train crosses
somewhere downstream.
Walking back is through
a field of tall maize,
a place in itself,
sweet corn ripening
in green wrapping.
Beyond is the sea.
Inland are bare hills.
In autumn, they burn.
Winter brings frosts,
ice in the gutters.
What is spring? life returns
to tall green poplars.
School: there’s your place,
sit still, sing, count,
draw, write, shush. Play.
Shun that smelly place.
Walking home, hold hands.
Dad’s small car will be here soon
to take them all to Wellington.
His piano fits its new place.
Other schools, houses, streets,
places to get to know.
Big trains: steam locomotives,
overnight trips, pillows
one shilling; dull red carriages.
Settle to sleep - through
tunnel-smoke onto the viaduct
high above some river.
Dawn their destination.
Settled now? placed?
One day he’d travel
alone changing
old places known
for the fresh unknown
why not forever?
[Taranaki and Hawkes Bay 1945-6]
Seattle July 2015
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