At Mornington
They told me that when I was taken
to the sea's edge, for the first time,
I leapt from my father's arms
and was caught by a wave and rolled
like a doll among rattling shells;
and I seem to remember my father
fully clothed, still steaming with water
half comforting, half angry.
And indeed I remember believing
as a child, I could walk on water
the next wave, the next wave
it was only a matter of balance
on what flood they borne
these memories of early childhood
iridescent, figitive
as light in sea wet shell
while we stand, two friends of middle age,
by your parents' grave in silence
among avenues of the dead
with their cadences of trees,
marble and granite parting
the quick of autumn grasses.
We have the wholeness of this day
to share as well will between us
This morning I saw in your garden
fine pumpkins grown on a trellis
so it seemed that the vines were rising
to flourish the fruits of earth
above their humble station
in airy defiance of nature
- a parable of myself,
a skinful of elements climbing
from earth to the fastness of light
now come to that time of life
when our bones begin to wear us,
to settle our flesh in final shape
as the drying faces of land
rose out of earth's seamless waters
I dreamed one, long ago,
that was walked among the day bright flowers
to a bench in Brisbane gardens
with a pitcher of water between us,
and stayed for a whole day
talking and drinking the water.
Then as night fell, you said
We have one day only one
but more than enough to refresh us.
At your sifde among the graves
I think of death no more
than when, secure in my father's arms,
I laughed at a hollowed pumpkin
with candle flame for eyesight,
and when I am seized at last
and rolled in one grinding race
of dreams, pain, memories, love and grief,
from which no hands will save me,
the peace of this day will shine
like light on the face of the waters
that bear me awau for ever.
Sorry if there's spelling mistakes and stuff I just typed it up quick I also have scanned images of Harwoods other poems but my notes are scribled on it.
If you still want it just reply back or something
