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