Twisted Citrus

 

I have ordered a box of oranges

lovingly picked from the Gisborne trees

to juice with apples lemon and ginger

 

because my throat is spiked with nitpicking negativity

from politicians underplaying our collective successes

and overplaying our minor failures

 

because my heart is missing beats

at the thought of politicians opening borders

without defining safely

 

because my knees are weakened

by a woman claiming herself as the colour white

and that swamps don’t matter

 

because my head distrusts a leader

prepared to smash and grab

in order to gain power and get the country back

 

because I can’t sleep

because our safety might be under threat

because human decency is even more so

 

because

and so

 

I will unpack the box of oranges

and place in a glass bowl so their winter

goodness shines through

 

Paula Green