Seeking Respite, Later On

A contribution from my old,disaffected, South Island mate... Ray Checketts 

             

Just after five, head down, to the car park I head

Downtown is awash with ½ a million people and it seems just as many cars

No English is heard spoken amid the bustling hoards

Phones pressed against ears or fingers texting to a friend

Then later in traffic while waiting on a green light

I think of a place where I would like to take some time out, to seek respite

A salt marsh estuary on an incoming tide

Where small moored boats rest on their keels

Or turn and reel in the channel when the tide starts to flow

A rain shower passes over as some spoonbills rocket in

Then some grey duck alight with a splash and swim to

Where mallards dabble for food amid the foam at the waters edge

Just as the light starts to fade the black swans silently glide in

Feet down, wings spread showing white, a wonderful sight

As they whistle and dip for the estuary grass

They become a beacon for other birds as day turns to night

Some lights start to twinkle and voices are heard

Then people come to hunt for flounder as the channel fills and spreads

The place is noisy as duck and swan fly in

Where am I, could be anywhere

But it’s 40 years ago

RayC