Category: Truth

24/7 was still to be invented
people said they worked 52 weeks
or around the clock
or seven days.
Hospital always had.

Christmas in the Antipodes. Hot and quiet.
only orthopaedics left
from the pre-festive rush
a skeleton staff tending,
to the skeletons of patients.

Cleaning, lots and longer breaks
ties and stockings dispensed with
casual
perhaps that was how the topic arose
coffee break discussions normally ritualistic trivia
TV,
sports,
shopping,
weddings – there always seemed to be a wedding.

The question was unexpected, as was my answer
I said I opposed it – abortion
said in this day and age
if someone did not want to be pregnant
it was easy enough not to be.

Silence gloved the room,
obviously not as liberal as thought
then as if Mickey Mouse had signed to Shakespeare
and hurriedly returned to Disney
the room began talking –
TV. Sports. Shopping. And weddings.

Over Christmas
finish time was exactly that, never later.
10 minutes before
a quiet woman 10 years older
comes to assist me polish what I have just cleaned.

But polishing is not the purpose
15 years before
she terminated a pregnancy
had four children
and couldn’t possibly feed five
in my position you’d have done the same she said.
She spoke the absolute truth. Of that, there was no doubt.

A microphone and a roomful of people
terrifying to some
addictive to most,
intoxicating
such satisfaction,
one’s wit and wisdom drenching ears
which cannot interrupt, or escape.

Fathers of brides.
Best men.
School principals.
Chairman of boards
professionals and amateurs maximise time in sun
stretching time, and patience
– why should the clergy be different?

At the time when most priests
dispensed before commencement précis
post scripture explanation
pre-departure encouragement,
he moved through ceremony without intermission,
or trailer.
Except,
if the liturgy had been poignant
abandoned trust and redemption
hypocrisy curtained with piety
then, a soul pause : mute
not quite brief, not quite lingering.

He looked different in the dock
diminished without vestments and title
addressed by the judge as “Mr…”
referred to in the media as “ disgraced Catholic priest …”
Theft
tens of thousands – church funds
gold spun to straw
in slot machines and casinos. Unrecoverable.

She was from Chicago
spoke with the broad vowels of the Midwest
perhaps as balance to diminutive physique
the voice was large, and travelled ahead.
All her life had spent by The Great Lakes
Michigan, by spirit, and birth – home was Saginaw.
I could never hear the song America
without her and a Greyhound bus coming to mind.

She worked in the Windy City for a large bank
brash I suppose but,
with all the confidence was sadness.
She had been a gymnast, talented
going nowhere but up – the very top maybe.

One day a shutter click of inattention
a shattered pelvis
and severe internal injuries,
her days on the high beam over. Forever.
Showing off she said, one eye watching people,
watching her.
A heavy blow
but it wasn’t all bad
back to school and qualifications in law and finance.
Things were good now, gymnastics gone
but she had become a baseball fan – diehard.

When she made it clear
she and I would not be playing any games
I told her
I couldn’t expect a home run, every time I came to bat.
“That’s right,” she drawled
“and sometimes
“you’re not even on the team.”