How could I have known
that this shirt,
dark and unremarkable,
would outlive the Timorese boy
who said Cool Shirt, Sir,
ten years ago
when I wore it for the first time
into the High Achievers
Year 8 class
at Resa High?
It took Facebook
to tell me that JJ
had drowned,
years after leaving school,
having established himself
as a lively rap performer.
His older sister Tina,
electing to ‘do an oral’
on the contentious issue
of refugee boat arrivals,
had deftly leaned the lectern to the floor,
sat astride the stand
and mock rowed throughout
her presentation.
The shirt is faded and frayed,
one slight tear in the pocket
but still fit for gardening.
Is it, I recall JJ asking,
when it came time for him
to do his oral,
OK to sing it?
My word it was.
bw
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