Auckland Poetry

The Party

I had invited friends to a café where the desert begins
and you can see the blinking lights of Spain at night.
The food took long time coming, but there was wine
served in pitchers, didn’t think the wine was any good
so I went to the main bar to get bottled wine; they had
none. But I got two one litre jugs of cold wine, (cheap
wine should always be served iced it is tasteless then.)
When I came back my friends had eaten, nothing left
for me, they where in an vivacious mood drank my
chilled wine sang, laughed and talking loudly.

I walked to the kitchen, a big tent in the back, asked
for food, but they only had meatballs left, I don’t like
meatballs. My friend had now gone into the wasteland
walking to Spain, it was dawn before they came back,
they had had a great time. I was now so hungry that
I went back to the tent and asked for the meatballs, but
they had given them to abandoned dogs that live around
here. Drove my friends to the bus stop it was just about
to leave and it struck me that they had not spoken to me
once, which made me think I had entertained strangers.

The Mask

The mask near the window in the museum, of ancient
mostly stolen art, was asleep in the dark of the night,
its new director, an efficient man, doesn’t like waste
of energy. The mask shouldn’t be so near daylight as
it hurts its old eyes and, also, the mask had seen it all.
Tribal wars to mass hangings as seen from a camp SS
commandant’s window; the officer had worshipped it
as evil, a mask that had been carved by an artisan and
thus given soul. Himmel! An allied soldier had taken
the mask as a trophy, in the following years it was sold,
bought and stolen again till ended it up in a museum.
Yes, the mask should be left alone in a corner away
from prying eyes. It had seen enough. Also, gentle light
was good for the mask’s perennial complexion.

…As the Doctor Ordered.

I used to drink burgundy wine
every evening when watching
the TV, till, is my doctor
said a glass or two of wine was
good for my health.

After that wine tasted like
a tincture that is good for me.
I drink whisky now, but I ain’t
telling my doctor, can’t have him
say it is good my complexion