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Groovy Stuff Archive

Kiwi Xmas

that christmas afternoon remember
by the river
where we walked
two little lads
when we talked
of what you might do if you saw a monster
in the poplars
then later we played cricket for ages
until the ball was hit for four
into the flax
heavy with flower and tuis

remember that endless summer
when we rented a bach
somewhere up north
where we played scrabble
you danced in the surf
me looking for dolphins
we rode a tandem
along the front
before the storm came
and the sea turned to brown

driving south remember
just after christmas
heading out of the city
you spotted the punga tree
through the small side window of the car
just like the one at the bach
you said
in anticipation

you probably don’t remember
the first time we went to the beach
christmas day was the most
perfect I can remember
the first time we put up the new brolly
in the sand
you played in the surf and held
my hand
remember the christmas camp
when helen was very young
the boxing day tramp
high above the camp
was full of joy
endless floating on the blue sky
high above the camp
where the children and I
played go home stay home

we drove out to the coast one christmas afternoon from home
some time in the seventies I think
with the green bucket
in the back of the vauxhall
you played in the surf for hours
while we collected pipi
filled the green bucket
and someone else
just the same
held their green bucket
just above the breakers

running
i have never stopped
since that Christmas down by the lake
when the snow drops
flowered late
and they softly touched the skin
on my ankles
like the snow did years later
on a morning run
on the other side of the world

remember the time
when it nearly snowed
at christmas
we were so excited
the young silver birch trees
were strangely bare
for that time of year
they could have been
for all I remember now
some distant shadow
like a line from a chills song
rather than a memory

we drove past that church
just the other side of Nelson
your little eyes were peering
just above the deep back window
of the old brown triumph
and you said
like an angel
we should stop and join the people
practicing christmas carols
with the sheep by the church in a bare field
overlooking the sea


© Matt Harcombe 2005

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