Nameless Paint

Class activity; write about the poet Alistair Te Ariki Campbell in poetic form ;)

He smells the warmth of Summer

a shark in an ice sea, hungry for zeal

yet it is Spring...

or is it Winter?

He begs to differ.

He's used to sinking

his fangs into hope,

draining as much

as dreaming as he can.

The mountains, 

like he is,

stand staunch, stone

and dry against the paint stripper winds

so cold

as he slides

his worn jacket and trousers

like wild flags in a storm,

between two tall

and distinctively different mountains.

One, a dark and experienced mound

who has seen much history,

compelling and bound.
-

The other, a lighter grey

and crumbling

with the foundation 

of many years of life.

Which one, which one?

Two different worlds

two different dimensions; an infernal confrontation

as his large aged tool-born hands

fight to mould the man within.

There is the smell of rain

as plain as the ice in his nose;

But the water that sizzles

down his face is warm;

comforting almost...

delicately torn.

A paint-stripper illness

turns icicle spirals

into watercolour wonders of blue;

death-ridden hues as cold as
the ink

that runs down his page.

As he descends deeper,

a walking writing creeper

the tallest of the mountains

cuts away the rain.

He can sign his poem

and close his book
with a single blink; emotion unknown,
tears have been sinking.

Depressed and chill-ridden his spirit

is impressed; casts forest-green curtains

over vibrant yellow corn.

The hot rain runs

in death-thawing tendrils; urges him

to join their home

as he leaves the 

chill-coloured land 
to go home.

He who shifted his skin colour's tones;

his sadness merely a distant moan.

Reviews

[Michael G.]

Well written... beautifully textured content.
I really enjoyed this piece, with its flow so easy.
Good write.