Smoke Filled Basement

Ash trays and beer mugs
fire trap, smoke filled basement
jazz piano and double bass

Hot humid summer night
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Sydney Opera house and bridge

Hernandez late night coffee
Ethiopian Vienna
amongst taxi drivers and pimps

Driving in your Corolla
leafy Eastern Suburbs
chewing the breeze

Governors, Dunners
reminiscing, looking forward
relaxing, enjoying

Peter this is how I remember you
your stupid dinosaur
and corny smile

God I have a question
they tell me he will die, today or tomorrow
stupid, spiteful, stinkin’ leukaemia

I know the times
the eschatological tension
the kingdom now but not yet

I know you have given
I know you take away
your name will be praised

But I still have a question
a little question
a big question

Selfishly God
he is my friend
and this really hurts

God
the question I have
is simply

Why?
Why God?
Why? Why? Why?

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~3rd Place Editor’s Choice Award