Pukapuka Poem #33 'Thursday Night' - Michael O'Leary

Thursday Night at the Naval and Family

Listening, looking, thinking and remembering

First, listening to the island band

            same old songs week after week

            the rhythm moves my feet

            and the drink and smiles

            make me feel like I’m sort of at home

            the voices and the words

            foreign and familiar

Looking out the window at O’Malley’s Corner

            and following with my eyes

            past other Karangahape Road neons

            up to the lines of old Auckland roof-tops and sunset sky

            then inside seeing 

            all the pretty girls dancing

            talking and singing and smoking cigarettes

Thinking why am I here and

            why do I keep coming to this place

            where some nights I’m the only local

            although I can’t see that

            and no-one else seems to notice

            and the foreigner I’ve been all my life

            doesn’t exist here

And remembering the Pacific Island music

            my mother used to play on the gramophone

            and the Pacific Island woman

            who shared my life

            and dreams for a short while

            - as the music wafts over me like waves

            I stare into my glass with anger at separation