Keith D Trestrail | + Follow Poet |
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Alas I Knew Him Well

He walked with a swagger,
was a delinquent lagger
       and recidivist wagger
all his schoolboy days.
  Joyridin on the Pare’ bus
he’d skylark and cuss
            just like one of us
as was his way always.

He was undeniably cool
but did shirk at school
          and play the fool
from bell to ringin bell.
Widely well liked as a peer
and but for the odd jeer
         had nothin to fear
but many a tale to tell.

He oft sat ready in class
but mostly half ar-se
 and exams seldom pass
much to his own bane.
Almost always in a scrape
lookin to mock or ape
     or some dare or jape
and felt a swingin cane.

He climbed out on a limb
and broke into the gym
      then let his friends in
loadin up the bar.
Squattin and pressin away
liftin in the weight bay
      ‘til fun and horseplay
went a step too far.

He did the flyin fox cling
and leg and arm fling
         on the rope swing
with collidin force.
For dear life hands hangin,
blokes fallin and clangin
     into each one bangin
on the Confidence Course.

He was a hurler of eggs
and ‘til someone begs
     did charlie their legs
but it was all in fun.
A water bomb he’d let fly
when he’d from up high
       ambush a passer-by
abscondin on the run.

He his loyal friends also
under the gym below
         did hide and stow
lest they all be found.
Then one guy in the loop
would dive thru a hoop
        and the rest swoop
should it fall down.

He at lunch hour stood
all innocent and good
   but not as he should
policin the tuck shop.
As monitor it was his job
to calm the unruly mob
      but never tell or dob
suckin on his lollipop.

He was a classroom pest
out of uniform dressed
    on his own little quest
and always in strife.
But in his heart he knew
what he needed to do
    and this he would rue
the rest of his life.

He was a master pranker,
some say a wanker
           but he did hanker
for somethin more.
Girls thought him sweet
and did fall at his feet
       goin crazy for Skeet
but his spell had no cure.

             ~~~~
                
Pic above: The old Windsor Park Hotel is 
                in the background. It is 1977
                and we are just 16 years old.
     below: With friends below the trees 
                of Rangitoto College.

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