ridge track
she and he have
walked this way
for years
she foretold but
didn’t listen to herself
and now her
footsteps narrow
past inevitable gorse,
coughing eyes
pop breathless from
her face
choked by wreath of rata,
half a pack a day
for twenty-seven years
he wonders,
stops to watch her fight,
she wins a breath,
continues as if
nothing,
he fumbles,
lights a rollie
tramples over white
manuka petals,
confettied tears
where feelings
used to lie.
an unlit candle and a thesaurus
bananas, sunglasses,
an unlit candle and a thesaurus,
a dirty cup and a used handkerchief,
a duo of toy cars and paper beside
my laptop, but I don’t find
what I‘m looking for.
~ Can you hear me?
I’m finding my voice.
I know it’s here somewhere.
*
A boom of silence answers,
Akatarawa echoes the still
of Rimutaka. Surrounded
by hills but I name only two
like my grandson who makes
a big boy decision to take just
two toys upstairs to bed.
*
at the beach we discover the light
sand is crumbly. Mum digs by
the water, we fill pales with dark,
construct castles for Roran
to stomp on. It’s hard to say who
enjoys the game more –
afterwards I am sandy.
The salty grit is abrasive
on my skin, it wakes me.
I want to stay this way
so I cast my name
into the changing winds.
*
when I was mad I divided
against myself and then
used the division to make
myself whole.
*
A voice is not one-dimensional
like a flat piece of paper,
it is like a crane cleverly
folded to retain its unique
one-ness, showing many sides.
two cranes glide over
a paper sunrise –
one is blue and the other
is the colour of roses.
I fly so closely
hues blend to mauve,
~ whooop
~ whooop
whooping from the sky.
*
after surgery I could only whisper,
but the next morning a voice
was found – it sounded reptilian
like a grinch had nested
in my vocal cords.
The grinch has learnt a lighter tone,
just after xmas I heard it
singing in the shower.
*
~ I spy, with my little eye
something beginning with ‘M’.
~ Mmmm. ‘M’. Is it – microwave?
~ no.
~maidenhair?
~ no.
~ matchbox! It’s matchbox isn’t it?
~ yeah. Pass it here will you?
I’ll light that candle.
