tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8300321474428682567.post5907348616249791054..comments2023-10-18T02:30:35.781+13:00Comments on The New Zealand Poet Laureate blog: Dave KentNational Library of New Zealandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05067703181520460430noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8300321474428682567.post-48100031547460116052013-05-16T17:14:27.575+12:002013-05-16T17:14:27.575+12:00A VISIT TO WELLINGTON
In the reassuring
tea-with-...A VISIT TO WELLINGTON<br />In the reassuring <br />tea-with-milk church hall <br />Not far from the day’s first drink<br />At Molly Malone’s <br />Bob Kerr gave me directions:<br />“Tasman St… Ghuznee St…<br />Glover Park…<br />Down there…<br />Up here…<br />Etcetera…<br />And—”<br />Bob’s your uncle.<br />“—Bute St.” <br />(Home of the deceased).<br />“Hmmm,” he said gazing down on me from his great height<br />“Don’t think that quite<br />Struck home.”<br />“What’s it off?” I said<br />“Vivian,” he said.<br />“Vivian! That’ll do!<br />See you in an hour<br />Or two.”<br />Took off back to Molly’s<br />Couple more glasses of house red<br />Christ’s blood<br />Watched a televised Bombay 20/20 betting game<br />Had a window seat<br />Saw Bob pass by outside, spectrally.<br />End of the working day<br />Wetness on the shades of grey<br />Blown umbrellas<br />/////<br /> /////<br /> ///// <br />Finally walked back Taranaki<br />6pm <br />Darkening.<br />Drizzle coming down like Belfast<br />Found the Vivian intersection—<br />Not fucking easy <br />Have to position cannily<br />Catch the street light on the painted tin.<br />There it is:<br />“V-i-v-i-a-n.”<br /> /////<br /> /////<br /> ///// <br />Walked on up it:<br />Trades Hall: Pat Kelly,<br />Knigge St: F P Walsh,<br />A park. <br />Must be Glover.<br />Darkness really coming down<br />/////<br /> /////<br /> ///// <br />But Bute St?<br />In the mist and drizzle and dark<br />A gas station.<br />Z.<br />Last letter of the alphabet<br />Last throw of the dice.<br />“Could you tell me, please,<br />Am I near Bute St?”<br />Samoan girl, Tongan maybe, <br />17, 18,<br />Wants to help.<br />“Let’s look at the map!”<br />Leads me to shelves <br />A cheap fold-out<br />Unfolded.<br />“There’s Vivian St… but…”<br />Bent branches off <br />A Vivian tree<br />All unnamed.<br />“Oh, well,” I say, <br />“What I’ll do—<br />Walk round a bit more<br />Ask round a bit more.”<br />Her eyes.<br />“Wait—” she says, <br />Holds out a hand<br />“—has there been a passing?”<br />“What?”<br />“Has someone passed on?” <br />“Yes,” I say.<br />“Over there,” she says.<br />“The blue house.”<br /><br />Green lights on the tarmac.<br />Into the distance.<br /><br />D.P.noreply@blogger.com