At High School Strange: Sowing A Few Poetry Skills Poem by Terence George Craddock

I took the subject typing
in my first year at high school

because one day I believed
knew instinctively I would

be writing and typing would
be a necessary skill this was

a little strange perplexing
for a few of the country boys;

who tried to take liberties bullying
I turned on them like a bull rhino
taking typing and playing rugby hard
as a prop on the rugby field to a few
to many was a little strange perplexing
I gave no explanation to be true to oneself;

a boy that would be a man must do
what he will do tests of developing
manhood in the 1970s were tried
and true no running no backing down
a boy took it stood firm hard resolute
gave tormentors coin back in kind;

more than aggressors were giving
this made for easier long term high
school living trouble wore a look
in the eye trouble said I would not
take it turned upon tormentors in
an instant trouble asked no help
no quarter trouble paid back dues
with interest trouble was left alone;

trouble suffered no comments within
weeks talking about typing typing
was fast a taboo no comment subject
and within a few days weeks I was
happy typing not a natural not as fast
as the girls but adequate I was typing;

the skills for a future writing one
a little learned was put in storage
in the twenties when questioning life
what I thought what I believed it
was then necessary to buy a typewriter
to start with a few steps the long journey;

into writing to be a writer a poet
a little developing over a few years
a few decades to be a writer a poet
a poet who played rugby still then
a little perplexing in a red neck
small town in rural West Coast
South Island New Zealand back
in the late 1970s early 1980s writing;

was in the mind in the blood
in moments sleepless restless
insomnia before sleep poetry
was not going to be denied;


Terence George Craddock (Afterglows Echoes Of Starlight)
Copyright © Terence George Craddock