CHRIS TSE

 

Emergency Procedures

 
It is the lack of sunlight 
in this patchwork village that is to blame. 
fifty miles north of nowhere 
heat escapes during the night, takes a whole day 
to amble back. Boundaries less 
necessary evils. 
An overstay 
imperfect seasons    with their terminal punctuation,        
sudden-death rounds send us reeling for shelter. 
Take yourself out for some Peace & Quiet. 
By the time you get back we’ll be armed. 
And then you say,    we’ll have one more look. 
But one more look means getting on with the hunt 
so tonight the nets are set    
and the children put to bed early. 
When the birds are silent, crestfallen 
we take our hooks to the sky. 
 

Listen to Chris Tse read ‘Emergency Procedures’

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In the last year Chris Tse co-produced a play at Bats Theatre, directed a short film, and continued to write and record songs in his bedroom. He was the winner of the 2009 NZ Chinese Association/Listener Short Story Competition.

 

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