THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

  

Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, writes:

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Thom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied within seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not?"

WHARF

I used to work the wharves with my father

Evans Deakin Shipyards.Where he would bribe the foreman

with a bottle of beer,so we could work for a day.

They were twelve hour days.I was 14.Small enough to fit

beneath the ship floor to scrape the obstinate rust

We all worked together.Word came down-FOREMAN!-Scrape Scrape Scrape

GONE!Down tools instantly,curl up in the cool and sleep the afternoon.

I remember looking up at the moon from the depths of the hold.

Evans Deakin cleaned the hulls of the Royal Australian Navy.

Having seen our work,it convinced me-to never travel by ship..

NO SHIPYARDS NOW

We patronize foreign work

Non-Australian made.

Container shipping

Killed our wharf laborers work

Closed down the Union.

We cannot go back

to days of human workers

Unionize,quickly!