Journal of the Hagley Writers' Institute

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John Ewen

From Clifton Hill, Sumner

‘On a clear day you can see
South America,’ I say
to the folks from overseas.
They look out and turn away.

‘The man’s a wit or witless’
their eyes signalling as they
search my face for explanation
or perhaps another way

of meaning. None’s forthcoming.
‘It must be a clear day,’
I insist.’ Not in the morning –
the sun gets in the way.

‘Nor when the sea is misty’
(then all colour drains to grey)
‘but two or three times a season
there’ll be that special day,

a day of light and brightness…’
but they’ve already moved away:
‘The man is a real nutcase –
it must be ten thousand k.

plus there’s the curving of the earth…’
so as they decline to stay
again I ponder sadly,
looking down into the bay

that adults get too literal
they’ve all lost their sense of play
but not me and small children –
we see Chile anyway.

John Ewen, now Kapiti Coast based, writes short stories, poetry and plays as well as non-fiction. His work has been published in various anthologies and literary magazines, the UK online literary magazine Five Dials, and broadcast by Radio NZ.