Recalling some chapters in Life

The Ship from Korea

The Ship sailed far from the port
in Korea to bring back
the priced timber
for the needs
of the Korean people
just in time before Chrismas

they see the logs
as just floaters
or sinkers
as to how the logs behave
upon dropping into the waters
of the deep Kaut bay
of Papua New Guinea
the island of New Ireland

Sinkers are lined on bargers
tugged to the ship
and craned into the storage
placed below and then only the floaters
pushed into the sea
attached to one another
and pulled into chains of logs
by the tugboats to the awaiting Korean ship
soon to go back to where they were meant to be.

The Lunch Invitation

The Captain was informed
the guy recording the details
of the logs chosen
was a Malay from Malaysia

He sent the small motorboat
to invite me for lunch
with him, the Captain
in his ship

as a gesture of honour

So I followed the boat to the ship
climbed the stairs
and into the ships dining table

Wonder what is for lunch
it's rice
kimchi
and the assortment of pickled everything
of cloves of garlic
of onions
of carrots
of cabbages
of ginger
of salads of sorts
and they do keep
lots of picked everything

and fresh steamed fish
picked in the Pacific Ocean
Nice lunch
and thanks, Mate.

Better than the canned sardines
with Cream Crackers
That we took into the
long walks which surveying the Block grids.

Yes
It was a change from the normal
surveys that we did
in the Jungles of Kaut
It was a friday
And I need not go
Long Bush Cutim Diwai

Awal 1979 Dec