Mark Pirie
Music Therapy
For Peter Olds, a 2020 letter
It has felt like
music therapy this year.
A shaggy dog, faithful,
waving its tail in the wind
is merely a tree, beside me.
Cargo ships dock now,
not cruise ships,
as if carrying middle class purses
spreading joy to retailers,
workers and producers.
My trusty CD stack
has grown as I work from home
and read poetry on my breaks.
The music therapy
must be what it was like
for Orwell “before the war”,
coming up for air.
I watch rugby from
the safety of home
and wonder if I miss
the tribalism of flying
a stadium flag.
At the end of a game
they hongi and forget
each thumping tackle.
It’s like that this year
with art and publishing.
My painting of Thorndon
for Peter is like
a quiet story in a Walden
retreat, and I give thanks
for Springsteen who sends
his Letter to You.
Staycation
Read
Films
Music
Walk
Sales
Like
|
Watch
Play
Exercise
Shop
Nowhere
|
Books
DVDs
Sport
Weights
Clearance
Home
|
Tra-La-La
What we don’t know
won’t hurt us. Art is
none the wiser when the
Maker leaves the room.
We could frame what we
see as Art around us,
and we would miss it
in a blink. Depending on
what you believe. There are
oh so many theories.
The Universe expands, tra-la-la.
Art’s truth is dark matter.
Mark Pirie (b.1974) is an internationally published New Zealand poet, editor, publisher and archivist for PANZA (Poetry Archive of NZ Aotearoa). In 2016, his selected poems,
Rock & Roll, was published by Bareknuckle Books, Australia. Other books include a biography,
Tom Lawn, Mystery Forward (ESAW, 2018), an artbook
Folk Punk (2020) and
Gallery (poetry) published by Salt, England, 2003. He is a former founder/editor of JAAM, 1995-2005, publisher for HeadworX 1998-, and currently edits broadsheet: new new zealand poetry, 2008-. Website: www.markpirie.com.
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