Title: Sport 20

Publication details: Fergus Barrowman, March 1998, Wellington

Part of: Sport

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Sport 20: Autumn 1998

Nick Williamson

Nick Williamson

page 114

Entering the Pyramid

At the beach I find small
memories to draw on
It can take months to
comb a piece so words

fall in place without
knots or kinks or little
flakes of skin

At eighteen I brushed
your hair in an untidy
room. It fell easily
bleached ivory
by the hard sun

Electricity caused
strands to float shining
fragrant towards my face

We sat in a pyramid
of light beside French doors
open to a garden of palms
passion fruit, paw-paw
your face turned
to the sound of waves

page 115

Untitled

Brewing coffee this evening
I came across a poem
on its back beside
the kitchen window

It was kicking its legs
like a stunned insect

I picked it up
gently by the wings
laid it out on paper
drinking in its fine markings

Straight off I could tell
it had no sting
that it wouldn't make it
through the night

Dreaming of a Dead Man

Not so long ago in a drooping
house we smoke dope together

You're in your yellow tie-dyed
singlet, so thin from too much

heroin but still my hero and me
green as the leaves laughing

at light falling through a window
We puff up our pigeon-chests

fool with words, your electric
laugh more shocking by the second