Tarawera 1

Tarawera.

Landlocked lake with short fetch

Sorts out a sharp slap of

Fresh water on foamy stone.


The cold wind cuts through crisp light

From the amputated peaks of the mountain.


Peace now like peace before but not then.


From when the fundamentals weren't

When drowned ships sailed

And night sky was fire bright

And the silent earth wasn't

And stones rained down.


The science of it explains the mechanism

But strange Gods to test faith so harshly

The why of stone turned to liquid,

Of air turned to fire,

And all beauty turned to ash.

Pacific Colours.

Cerulean between the dark clouds

Wash ultramarine on the water.


To the North a squall blurs

To the right a beautiful broken rainbow falls

Onto a grey monument on an overgrown headland.


Squall curdles to storm

Flash and roll

The horizon closes

And our heads are bowed down by a hard rain.


Why did we come out here?

Shouldn't we have listened to the forecast?


It's because we wanted to see the beautiful colours in the sky.

NB.

Conjunction.

Fog has trapped warm air under its weight.

On still water at full tide

Lying in horizonless tranquility.


Pale lit mist smudging geometries and bewildering.

Reflecting reflection echoing silence

A discreet veil for Aurora, spotlight moon

And Venus coupling with Jupiter.

NB 17.

Two Gates One Journey. (for Jacqui Miles)

 I.    Two gates, one journey.


II.    33 tanalised pine posts in a line.


III.   33 spindly lancewood trees down to the boardwalk.


V.    A stand of kauri.


VI.   Pine Ave   1/2 hr


VII.  Seven wooden steps in the clay.


VIII.  One more thing.


IX.    A slippery wooden bridge nine paces long.


X.    Two barking dogs.


XI.   Three cabbage trees.


XII.   One fern bird calling.


XIII.  Thirteen oystercatchers crying.


XIV.  Seven buoys silent.