NZ Poet Michael O'Leary pays tribute to Lou Reed

I would like to mark Lou Reed’s death by sending you this poem from my 2008 book ‘Paneta Street’ in which I quote a line from his song ‘Perfect Day’.

Seacliff Amoré

(for Lesley)

Over and over and over

The road the railway crossings go

Up and down hills and valleys

The road goes past Warrington

St. Barnabas, Omimi, Ireland’s

Farm and all. The anthropologist

Digs it too, his house shakes

Along with his laughter as he

Puts on or smokes another

Pot of tea for you and me

In an orange flavoured flying

Bomb the girl and the earl

Arrive at the entrance of dream

Reality entrancement at the

Hidden by cabbage tree car

Across the line we walk

Where once I lifted heave-ho

Rails and sleepers at the one

After 339, point full to the Brimm

Where Murray’s ashes lie

And Angelique is called

O’Connell’s farm, the olde

Sod! Pictures of lilly of the valley

Hang well painted by R.S-M

Next to the cuppa - up RRRrrroad

The memories flowed

As we talked and the girl

Nearly ended up in the cactus

But went down to the village instead

Crossing that line yet again

‘Such a perfect day’, Lou Reed say:

‘I thought I was someone else

Someone good ...’