A disciple of dreams
- Hone Tuwhare
I walked with him -
and when he spoke my eyes
opened to strange happenings
and I looked down into the gasping mouths
of fishes with eyes like round
black bread and tails quivering as
silvered wine that had not been darkened
by his blood …
Yet did I see him squinting at the sky
in the manner of men
born to the sea:
and I knew a deep dread for I saw
a wrathful army on black steeds, massing …
Miraculous how my fears were laid:
and calmly did he bid us all
to eat of the blessed food
and straightaway knelt we down
to partake of his bounty.
And so it was that in the midst of feasting
and thanksgiving the storm fell upon us
with a fury that no one could quell: the wind tore
futile protestations from his lips
and the seas threshed
and lightening shattered the loaves
and little fishes
and the heavens spat venom on the faces
of those whose meatless arms were thin armour
to the pitiless rain:
my rage grew to the topmost wave-
and I awoke engulfed in tears
my fists beating the floor of my
stone room.
http://victorian.fortunecity.com/woodcut/829/tuwhare2.htm
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