Unable to fathom any secret formula
for success with Kiwi women, he spent
his first thirty adult years living alone
quietly sucking on his pipe, the odd
wry comment falling softly among the talk
in a shroud of smoke on rare social outings.
A tsunami of personal events smashed
into his solitude, the chaotic flow
swept him into Asia where he began
boat building in a large coastal town.
A year later returned, praising Asian women,
a booming voice and commanding presence
at parties and hotel bars. The metamorphosis
startled his few friends, who then agreed
such ego cultural medicine had been
sorely needed, nodded with wry smiles as
he outlined plans to live permanently abroad.
GRAFFITI RULES
Always there
blank stones
waiting for words
or scrawled images.
As the tribe passes
one will take up the task
an outsider looking on
will mark the space
furtherest from the fire
searching faces
for a sign, answers
to questions older
than those granite blocks
rising above
the concrete trail.
THE PRIEST
A jocular man who adopted
an earthy approach
to the parish faithful
his turn finally came
to lie in that waiting room
much feared by his flock.
He joked about entering
the dust and ashes
recycling bin
as a young colleague
kept a bedside vigil.
Asked what stood out
from a lifetime of being
the confessional ear
for the final time
he smiled and replied
"Never heard anyone say
they wished they'd spent
more time at the office."
