Poet passes away

By Frank Neill

Well known Wainuiomata resident Tony Watling passed away following a short illness on Sunday 16 April.

Chris Bishop, the Hutt Southbased National Member of Parliament. Photo: Supplied. so don’t even think about resigning from your actual job.”

“You will leave with your head held high,” Matin Tahi wrote.

“I was appreciative of your work, your work ethics, your work mana.”

When Chris revealed that his post was not serious, Brent Smith made the following post: “Best April Fool’s joke ever”.

“Good one Chris,” Trish Anderson wrote. “Love your sense of humour. Great April Fool’s joke.”

For many years Tony provided a contribution to the “Wainuiomata News”. His “Ode of the Week” was a feature of the paper.

He was still submitting his “Ode of the Week” up until July 2020, when Tony was well into his nineties. He finally had to stop for health reasons.

Tony has provided one final poem.

When I wonder what to write

I sit and then I think, Are my poems very bright Or just a waste of ink?

I think about the times way back The news that went around,

Have I got the facts I lack, And is my thinking sound. While you read, I do not know But if I saw your face, Should a smile begin to grow I’ve helped the human race.

Tony’s life will be celebrated in a service in Lower Hutt on Friday 21 April.

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