Ngawhatu by Maggie Rainey-Smith

On
the Richmond bus to Nelson passing Polstead Road


you
only had to say it, and everyone knew, unspoken

we
almost dared not look, it stirred such potent thoughts

caused
laughter, mocking, and a deeply seated superstition

innuendo
out the window, the road that leads to there

To
where? You ask? But
we all knew, we knew for sure



that�s
where the loonies go and you�ll go there for sure