Scarce flat land makes the bulldozer king.
Cut the hills and fill the gullies. Colonise
scraped clay and rock with wind farms
of whirly-gig clotheslines strung
with nappies dancing tarantellas.
Give the bush short back and sides
bleach the gorse with herbicide.
Weatherboards inclined to wear
butterfly beauty spots, while inside
plaster ducks fly up the wall
a night-store overheats the hall.
Weekend concrete mixers rock ‘n’ roll.
Nine to five rhythms beat Monday to Friday
syncopated by overtime to keep the cycle
of strict tempo payments to Fisher and Paykel
© Jack Perkins Dec 2001
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