A Life

The late afternoon
finds you seeking
clarity in a book
of Rilke poems, a
shortbread biscuit,
and a cup of lemon
tea—with a dash
of honey.

The honey swirls
down through the
tea, and biscuit
crumbs fall into
the book, lodging
in the spine. The
fading sun slants
across the page.

Today, you decide,
you are truly content
to call your life a
great song. Or even
a small song.
A lullaby. Something
to sing your child to
sleep.

Kiri Piahana-Wong
from night swimming, Anahera Press, 2013

Kiri Piahana-Wong is a poet, editor and publisher living in Tāmaki Makaurau.

The Poetry Shelf Breathing Room: A place to enter and pause and take a long slow breath and then another, as you absorb the beauty movement joy wonder stillness of a poem.