Round the bend

Round the bend I saw him, cask wine
in brown paper, sunning his loneliness
in his way while I sunned mine.

Older than me, grizzled and white.
'Mate!' I said in greeting
and he answered: 'eh ya garn',

three flat syllables,
a statement not a question,
so immensely Australian,

Untoppable.
I see you and you see me,
'Eh ya garn' indeed.