They've done some very fancy planting
Outside the Marine Research Centre
And though it was cold in the shadows
That slanted down from the north -
In the sun it was glorious and there were flowers.
Midway through my walk, I stopped to talk
To a young American from Wisconsin
Who was learning Japanese from
Notes that kept blowing away - with him
Complaining justifiably about arcane complexity.
Later, a girl was riding along the beach shingle
On her pebbled-back half-stock horse
Half appaloosa pony, testing the shallows
Sitting back deep, straight and prim
On her English saddle, English-style.
And earlier, on my walk from the park
Westwards along the sandy pavement,
I had sat on a memorial wooden seat,
Dedicated to Martha Dunn who died aged 30 -
Me pondering poetically about ephemerality.
But don't let me forget the rainbow
On Baring Head that was my first impression
Of the bay, the harbour entrance and the Strait -
Taking it as a propitious portent or good omen
That despite everything, the covenant was still honoured.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem