you wanted to show me mountains
i had forgotten

was it too much dak at the hui
(i smoked too much
i drink too much)
so no time for piopiotahi,
inland
to those waitaha places?

i miss sharing that
dark deep blue land art
whakapapa
side

meet you
at the oamaru gardens,
we dance to mingus
on yr ghetto-blaster
(i'm wearing the faded rainbow-to-grey
silk shirt,
your little boy clinging to you)

getting dark past timaru
you ask
"shall we fly inland?"

why didn't i say yes

—Brian Potiki
   © 1997