Orphaned Islands (Un)poetry

When we arrived back from abroad
after making a fortune –
well sort of
a mid size deposit for
a mid size house
in a mid status suburb,
the economy was slumbering –
hung over,
not at all favourable to refugees or defectors.

Work: my loved one approached her former employer
and found four weeks covering for honeymoon leave.
Dreams and reality
we saw the house of our dreams
the bank not interested in deposit or equity
but mortgage
“ ability to pay .” No. Capital cannot be used as offset.

My loved one spoke to her boss
explaining and asking for proof of employment.
The boss looked over her bifocals and said
“ I assume you have the means to pay this?”
A nod –
she wrote on a reputable letterhead
…. ….. is employed by … with an annual salary of …

Racist probably
sexist certainly.
At the swimming pool, a sauna
with a round window,
bigger than a porthole, smaller than skylight
past which walked just trained female triathletes
wet haired,
tight costumed,
sleek,
and oh so toned,
a group of 12, a gleaming dozen.
After perhaps the eighth
a large black man, clasping his ample belly
fanned away steam
and moaned like a wolf checking in with the moon
“ooooooooooooooooh – I gotta get me some of that.”
Everybody in the sauna cracked up, even the women
Sexist, yup, no doubt. None whatsoever ….
racist, in a strange way –
it wouldn’t have been funny from a white guy.

She was the boss,
Head serang
CEO, –
MBA plus distinguished lists of appointments.
Despite her intellect and achievement
and grandeur
her office wasn’t grand,
rather spartan and a little on the small side.

The desk too, tidy and functional
and a little small
especially with three cramped around it
myself, her and a contractor
talking up a submitted tender.

Amid discussion of figures,
allowances
margins
and overruns
the CEO pulled open a drawer
plucked a large red apple
and sipper bottle of water.

Crunch, chomp, chomp, slurp
“ how many do you expect on-site?,
Perhaps 30.”
Crunch, chomp, chomp, slurp “ where is your policy
for Occupational Health & Safety?
In the appendix, 5.” Crunch, chomp, chomp, slurp, “ you understand
construction must be completed within a specified period?
Yes.”
Crunch
“ Thank you.”

She nodded for me to wait behind
crunch, chomp, chomp,slurp
“ What do you think?”
Crunch, chomp, chomp.Slurp.