Poem 85

From October ’82 … part of my three-month poem-a-day regimen … the reason I was sitting home writing was because I’d given up my OE travel plans – but obviously still felt the tug …

… I remember my grandfather showing me Welcome swallows which had just begun to appear in NZ … I got the wrong idea about their migratory habits though … in Europe they’ll fly to the Middle East … ours (as it turns out) stay closer to home …

The Sea Anchors

The swallow flies to Egypt
a thread of blue around the world
the ship pulls toward Africa
would unstrand its ropes and go

down there
all is strange and new
ten foot flowers and feathered men
dreams dust and dreams again

the swallow looks on Egypt
the city in the desert sun
while the ship heaves on the midnight tide
but cannot break its lines and come

the sea anchors are out
the things that hold us here
the houses jobs and others
children love and fear