Thursday 27 December 2012

preparing to travel to New Zealand


preparing for my journey to New Zealand, i am re-reading 'Backroads' by Sam Hunt
and looking at
paintings by Colin McCahon & Doris Lusk
Ralph Hotere

going through my notes
of time passed there in times past

rummaging in notebooks i find this sketch
made with pencil at Te Papa museum [no cameras allowed]
and later embellished with watercolour
while taking coffee at Midnight Expresso
up on Cuba Street [Wellington]
the colours far wilder than the original


and then i make a few other notes. a bit closer to home.




-->
CLOUDLAND, OR SMOKE ALARM
I’m not yet quite sure which.

LONG BEFORE PA FORGOT REMEMBRANCE
HE MADE THE CHOICE TO LOOK AWAY
NOW HE WANDERS, SMOKE AND MIRRORS
ASKS MY MOTHER IF I AM RELATED TO HER
NOTICING THAT WE LOOK LIKE PEBBLES OR
SOME DAISIES IN THE GRASS
PERHAPS TWO PLASTIC BAGS
BLOWING IN ON THE BREEZE

ON HIS BIRTHDAY I TOOK A CAKE
TO THE CELL HE NOW INHABITS, MONASTICALLY TIDY
ONE SHOE, A TOOTHBRUSH AND A VIEW INTO TREES
A PHOTO OF MY BROTHER
THEY WOULDN’T LET ME BURN THE CANDLES
INSUFFICIENT CAKE TO FEED THE FIREMEN WHO WOULD COME
RUNNING, CALLED BY RINGING BELLS

NOW PREPARING FOR A JOURNEY TO
CLOUDY ISLANDS EAST OF HERE
I READ BY THE SMOKE OF RESIN
GATHERED ON A WESTERN COAST
CYPRESS FOG DRIFTS ACROSS THE PAGE
GOOD THING I GUTTED THE SMOKE ALARM

December 27, 2012

8 comments:

  1. I so love New Zealand...and I am sorry about the lack of candles...sometimes laws are made to just frustrate one. Happy New Year and I wish you Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

    ReplyDelete
  2. New Zealand sounds like an amazing place to visit. I was so instantly drawn by the name of your blog... Enjoy, have a safe trip.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My Sweet Darling cares for those without candles - although they wander, they too are not always lost. Live in each moment, another world [not unlike this one]
    Happy trails India,

    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a beautiful poem. I see your father and I also see your mother. My heart sighs as I see a lot of love. It's a consolation that love dwells in the heart.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such a beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing it. Safe travels.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh I am so sorry...
    memories come and go
    sometimes all we can do is remind people
    that we still care

    ReplyDelete