The Big Beyond
What’s that country through the Pass – the Big Beyond – what’s it like? no one we know made it back, no one, not once, to tell us. Here, heresy & hearsay, passed on by the dead strangers. For me, I’ve my own ideas: one, to ride the Pass someday.
News
Update: NEW GIGS & POEMS - See below. Gigs
THIS PART OF ‘KNUCKLEBONES’ TOUR COINCIDES WITH PUBLICATION OF SAM’S NEW COLLECTION OF POEMS, ‘KNUCKLEBONES’ (POEMS 1962-2012).
1.
Never the sparkling waters or the beautiful daughters
as sparkling as they be - it’s a muddy creek for me
twisting and turning on Kaipara time
floating down stream. On the next tide, returning.
2.
The Landing built roughly where early settlers landed –
months at sea behind them, more months’ uncertainty.
They ended up in a land they never had in mind.
I’ll be leaving by the Landing on Kaipara time.
A fisherman from Pahi got a mermaid in his net –
good as a man can get when he falls in love at sea
on Kaipara time, the nets well set: that,
and immaculate timing of tides.
On Kaipara time a patriach lay dying -
tears for what he’d done, the cheating and lying –
family gathered round him he said, I know I’m dying.
There’s only one problem: I can’t. But, God, I’m trying.
On Kaipara time he died and the family
joined hands like the five salt rivers of the Kaipara
each of them knowing it would soon be for them
the tidal clocks chime on Kaipara time.
I see you up in town, we meet on the street:
good to see you I say, you say it’s good to see me.
You’re moving east you tell me. I wish you a clear sea . . .
meantime, Kaipara time, it’s a muddy creek for me.
