Title: Sport 31: Spring 2003

Publication details: Fergus Barrowman, November 2003

Part of: Sport

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Sport 31: Spring 2003

SONJA YELICH

SONJA YELICH

page 230

is it good to hum, river?

beside the river i collect stones
who fall into the back of my car.

the one i can't carry we drag
by blanket.

through the bramble that the council have sprayed
the tongariro is a rotary motor.

each day of each month
of each decade there will
be the clash of water

& the soothing away of stone

at the lowest level
will be the trout
& a zoo of anglers

& we will say
this year the river is down
on its luck

page 231

how to fix a radio

your radio is your talking
world & your baby is your
world crawling into walls.

holding your radio
your baby heads for
the surface hardest to
fall
the pasifika wall
who has only one coat.

there are marks to prove
how hard his throw is.

you say see this is the tip
of mexico jutting
that is the size of greece

the news of the world
which was on & going
& once with an aerial
where an aerial should be—

is now
your world down
your radio sellotaped
& arnica with your baby.

page 232

virtual beach

inside the baby is feeding.
& you are useless at weaning.

so you sit with your lonely ear
to the busy cities
of tv.

you are a circle
& your baby an o

you receive the news
about a beach with no sand
which is about all you're up to.

you hear people rhyme
beach & reef
jetties & amenities in the same sentence

& you see the engineers
who had designs
in their eyes

you meet golden bay
& oriental parade
in 2 frames

& wonder how far sand travels
to make people happy & your baby—
he will never know from where that sand came.