17 December 2006 A Sunday morning
Taiwan Farewell
the children went to Kuantan two days ago
to spend a week with aunt down there
to study, swim, and in general, enjoy
the place of love, no worry nor care
there was no rough surf on the beach
I didn’t watch the trees, nor hear the roar
I didn’t think to be on my own
I knew I had to get out to teach
awake around five thirty, as customary
take water to get the kidney kick-start
brush teeth, shave, kettle, back to bed
with thigh between her legs, apart
but hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
I know I’m going to be on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
a warming sweet way with spoons of hone
a breakfast of cocoa, and raw porridge oat
with the early light marching into the morning
no doubt thinking about the new day’s bloat
but hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
I know I’m going to be on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
a warm shower gets the cool day away
shorts and tee shirt, khaki, green
a dab of cologne from Japan
the feel of fresh, alert and clean
but watching the trees in the breaking roar
hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
I know I’m going to be on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
the squeaking grill, tearing away
in noise that would wake up a railway tramp
the spray in choking super-megacide
I wait, mosquito-free, by the terrace no-fly camp
but I know I’m going to be on my own now
hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
to think of things no man can teach
Chloe, year two; check body parts
no, not that; bird feather, claw, beak
trunk, soft-stem plant, from the day before). Now
magnet can repel, attract, be strong or weak
but hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
I know I’m going to be on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
Yi Qin with non-stop, flick-back hair
then atom, compound, element
the earth’s resources we excavate
then chat with her Mum, trim, elegant
but watching the trees in the breaking roar
hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
I know I’m going to be on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
a break, with greeting hydrate water
some typing on the word machine
before a tummy-bare Miss Hiew
tests graph of function, half-knowing, but keen
but hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
I know I’m going to be on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
Big Brother comes; we then retrace
the unknown course of inequality
with variable, fixed, and ratio
if we know a, we can find out b
but watching the trees in the breaking roar
hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
I know I’m going to be on my own no
to think of things no man can teach
the garden would grace Robin and his merry men;
a bright point of yellow, orange arrow too
bring a polychrome monsoon camouflage
to the everywhere rain-rousing hue
but hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
I know I’m going to be on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
a breezing lunch, just reclining
on the sofa, watch her try
on trainers; passport, money, bag
she kisses me a warm goodbye
but I know I’m going to be on my own now
hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
I think of things no man can teach
the amah’s gone, the washing done
just the clicking keyboard, quiet fan close by
the forlorn piano, abandoned phone
the whole waits to break down and cry
but I know that I’m on my own now
hearing the rough surf thrash the beach
watching the trees in the breaking roar
I think of things no man can teach
the twilight expands, the trees scrum and turn
in the onslaught of the non-stop rain
the flooding way, the half-washed car
I think of her warmth again, again
watching the trees in the breaking roar
hearing the rough surf on the beach
I know that I am on my own now
to think of things no man can teach
