Kia ora koutou, this is a poem (or maybe doggerel) I wrote while doing a class with Lyn Davidson. I was trying to get the beat of marching and , the idea of going on and never ending,  nature of the problems and so the poem ended up with that old 4/4 hymn beat – very old fashioned and a bit irritating when it goes on too long. On the other hand I guess its dah–da-dah dah-dah illustrates the ongoing nature of what I’m talking about, not inspiring or romantic – just keeping on when most of the time you’d rather be lolling around reading a book and eating cake…

 

Push and Pull

 

I stand up straight on the corners

Shout out at them and at us

Hug and complain of the failures

Hand out scones and a list

 

Still those stony paths call me

still I hear cries from the swamp

still there’s that sharp edge of anger

still there’s the patchwork of want

 

Over the edge of the current

Beyond that green hill of distress

Down by that pool of depression

that’s where they stand – dispossessed

 

I stand up straight on the corners

Shout out at them and at us

Hug and complain of the failures

Hand out scones and a list

Renée