Tuesday Poetry: Christmastide
“A tide of summer…”
Christmastide
Christmas—and we
like so many others
are washed north
on a tide of summer,
our route signposted
by pohutakawa,
all flowering late
against a mirage
of cabbage trees,
dusty in the heat
that shimmers
above melting tar—
the whole country baking
as the nation makes
its annual pilgrimage
of Christmas and New Year:
“Good to see ya,” we say,
or simply “Mate”, pouring out
a cool one before we sit
down together, buoyant
with the sunshine
and the colour,
the high tide of summer.
© Helen Lowe
—
Although there is a sea allusion to this poem, I will officially take it as “time out” from my “sea” theme, in favour of Christmas.
And it is definitely the season of this sort of travel for many of us — if a little more daunting for those traversing the northern half of the South Island post the Kekerengu Fault quakes.
Take care in all your journeyings, my friends, and travel safely.
