i.

was it only yesterday, the waves a crowd
waving olearia branches, soft sage and white veined,

throwing down the branches alleluia alleluia
the waves rinsing the gravel, sieving the stones,

testing them, weighing them, seeking
the heavy body, the light body,

the hens next door singing their lamentations
'Oh No-no-no-no-no NO-no-no-no-no'