When bussing in the city there are certain obligations.
Be sure you’ve cleaned behind your ears
and shaved your neck e.g.
a courtesy to those who sit behind you.
But otherwise you’re free to indulge.
Talofa Lava Talofa Lava
calls the woman in the back
and the young guy up front
waves and smiles, waves and smiles.
while he with the MP3 sings
electrical banana.
But do not poke your knees
into the seat in front
or grump because the bottom next to yours
is larger.
Falofa lava loafa lava
fell off a loaf
nods the one who waves and smiles
while he with plugged up ears
is just mad about saffron.
Discuss if you wish the muster of the minotaurs
black spot on tomatoes
or Aunty Jean’s appendix.
Talofa Lava Talofa Lava
while MP3 is swaying
to his mellow yellow beat
and Waver waves and smiles
waves and smiles.
Stare if you want as others stare at you
already they have seen
the single hair which sprouts
from your chin.
Wow you really got me now sings he with the MP3
as Smiler waves and smiles
waves and smiles.
And until he yanks the cord
no one sees
the man with the jug of cerulean blue
in which he keeps his other ear
chopped off in a fit
of van Goghery.
Falo falofa lava wave smile
Waver smiles.
And the mellow red bus driver halts
pulls out a paperback novel.
Just a short time stop he yodels
Talofa Lava Talofa Lava time stop.
(c) Helen McKinlay
This poem was first published in the 2009 NZ Poetry Society Anthology, ‘Moments in the Whirlwind’. It was inspired by the wonderful mix of people of all personalities and cultures, to be found on Christchurch buses. Some of it is true 🙂
I dedicate it to Christchurch and the red buses. Please click on this link to return to the Tuesday Poetry Blog and be dazzled by the great variety of poetry in the side bar and, by the Hub Poem which this week is edited by Helen Lowe.
very nice indeed
Oh, I used to catch the bus to work every day for years and this really strikes a chord – it is such a fascinating mix of voices that you hear and things that you see (and that often surprise you!). I loved the snippet of etiquette at the beginning, given the vitality and openness of the rest of the poem 🙂
Thanks Jen and Elizabeth. Buses yes,they are full of wonderful surprises!
So is blogger …it does things with my lines. Puts spaces where they shouldn’t be. Hmm
The poem has a rhythm that speaks of a performance piece as well as something for the page.
Hi Helen,Yes it is a performance piece. And the rhythm derives from the subject matter…which demanded it be written that way. 🙂
I like the vision of rich eccentricity. I also like driving my car…
Yes. But it would be interesting to discover the character of Canberra’s bus culture Penelope. I would imagine it to be quite different…full of politicians letting off steam perhaps?
The only pollis on the bus would be local, ACT Assembly ones, showing their Green credentials. Federal ones swoop in and out in a flotilla of cars, from airport to Parliament with a few stops at watering holes in Kingston and Manuka around sitting times.
The buses remain unpolluted.
Yes Penelope and Tim but how do you know…they might all be disguised as mp3 playing
groovers dressed as pink elephants…just a thought:-) I dare you to tell me pink elephants don’t catch buses.
Firstly, can I correct pollis to pollies? That was my iPad, which does not approve of Australian slang, the nasty little septic.
And, while I like the idea of groovy politicians (being into fantasy) I have yet to hear of one who wouldn’t drag the press around with him or her to show off their bus-catching ways. Modesty and politicians do not go hand in trunk…
This is marvellous and whimsical and full of sound and movement. It lends itself to reading aloud, too. I can just hear it! Loved coming here tonight…
Oh I see now this IS a performance piece. Well, of course. It’s just so rhythmic and melodic and all those consonants mashing up against each other. And van Goghery. So great!
Thanks Michelle. Love your thought about the consonants mashing up against one another!
In Wellington, politicians don’t take buses – they bike! Well, the Green Party ones do, anyway. /mypoliticalbiasshowing