the rug from wanganui
we discovered the rug in wanganui
when we were making
an unplanned detour.
taking a break in a small coffee shop
in the main stretch
you bumped into a friend
from our auckland time
and I whispered something like
'such is the connecting lines
and threads that follow us'
although you deny it now
the rug had woolen tassels
& a deep crimson and blue thread
woven through it.
It was early morning, before coffee,
& our eyes stumbled over it
our friend showed us around, and
She said 'you're lucky, who knows wanganui as I do?'
and we were reminded of williams
that time in wanganui we were broke,
driving through to wellington
with just a tank of gas,
& so we left the rug and took in instead
the watery grey and green blankets
around us as we maneuvered
the car clear out of Wanganui.