POEM OF THE MONTH

PAUSE

Groceries flung into hungry backs of Mitsubishi 4 wheelers. Arms tossing bags of pronto pasta and microwave dinners.

One foot holds trolley in place, itself already running away.

That HiLux parked in haste, too close, has flung open its doors, threatening invasion.

It’s a shit-show.

I’m all anger, you’re all brazen. We’ve had no lunch

No time.

No time.

No

Time.

What if instead, we parked the trolley, found my fresh bread, you could grab the hummus from your HiLux. We’d sit right here on the curb, under this flowering birch tree.

Let its whispering kiss us.

I might learn your name.

We’ll take back time and bend it till it’s supple.

Let it sink down here beside the two of us until it folds like silk and you and I are a moment of open, humming stillness.

ROBYN RESTIEAUX Auckland, NZ