Half Life
Halfway to hell,
If you seek a holy place,
At the in-between times,
Will your God still be there,
Or will the well be dry,
The river dammed
Un-dam me, dear God,
Un-damn me,
Let the pent-up
Rage and tears flow.
Too many late nights,
After desert days,
I go guilty to bed,
Finding sleep elusive as mosquitos,
My thoughts howling
In a whirlwind.
Sleepless at six I rise reluctantly
And walk to the shore
Wishing I was still dozing,
Sea and sky, a wall of grey,
The islands, shrouded shapes,
In the distance.
On a finger of rock,
An audience of one,
I watch the vast slow show
While black backs bleat
At my invasion of their roost
And a heron couple
Complain with creaking cries
Rowing the limpid air.
Small waves swell from
The placid sea
Each one unique
As it curls and foams.
Cracks in the overcast
Leak lemon light
And the sea dapples
With paua shell colour.
Then with sudden slight of hand,
The sky's blue,
Feathered with cloud.
And it's day,
Though house lights still flicker
On Whangaparaoa.
And the damn bursts
As a bright trail
Blazes across
The dazzling water.
Standing stiffly,
I exalt and cry
As this symphony of sight
Reaches its calm climax.
Empowered with peace
I stride into the new wave day
Relinquishing my seat
To the ingrate gulls,
The risen sun warming
My wet behind.
And half way to heaven
Know that if you seek a holy place,
At the in-between times,
God will be waiting.
(C) Copyright, February
2001
Andrew Charles Dallaston
All Rights Reserved
