a poem on the occasion of Kevin's 50th birthday, August 1994
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There was a time of shoeless adventure, In a primitive, more civilised world. Questions were guiltless, and answers provided An easy knowing of boys, of girls Chasing nature, catching pearls. You spend the breadth and the best of your days Pre-set for that empirical place Call it womb, call it home, call it something that feels right To basis the rest of your days. But the place just slipped right off the page. It's now inside your mind, in that ocean of wine, And ever seems further away Counting the good and the bad, and the ugly goodbyes Lurking and looming like waves. Life begins to get in the way. Once problems were narrow, and mercy bestrode, when I Versus You, solved as We. Business matters ran the gamut of the motley concerned, From A, to no-one but me. We were so obliviously free. Now we just grow smaller, and move to 'Their' order Till you're sure that you're here on your tod. Their love that you need became fickle greed, and Hysterical 'Don't touch me I'm God!'. Let's hail one more disqualified bod. Superimpose the vintage wild rose of a Star On features weathered and wan, Till a voice from far back then reels in the slack, And says: 'I know who I am'. Hold that moment if you can. If you must, say your past is forgotten, substitute, So long as the future is ground In some kind of promise, like the promise you showed Just promise that you'll stick around. Every lonely corner owns a crowd. Many old cricketers have long left the crease, You look and there's fewer about Some run out in their prime, or just gone .... but at least You've been cheered on to 50 - 50 not out. |
first published in WAWS #6, August 94