Apopo

Artist: Robyn Hancock

Tomorrow

Future dawn.

Spirit reborn.

Apopo

Creating opportunities for change.

A chance to start again.

Tomorrow

Hope renewed.

Situations reviewed.

Apopo

Time to start a-fresh.

Adopting a different mindset.

Tomorrow

Eternal sunrise.

Celebrating life…

© Copyright 2016, Robyn Hancock. All Rights Reserved

CONTRIBUTORS NOTE:
I decided, given the new year, that I would create new poems for this publication, thus giving me a creative challenge.

Sailfins

Artist: Nod Ghosh
Image used with permission
 

She wades

through salt soaked shallows,

searches for pipi,

hopes for kina, with

a bucket on her arm.    

                                                                                                                                                She cries an echo

from sand bars clean,

untroubled

by the task of harvesting

abundant molluscs.

 

Elusive echinoderms

charm live victims

to shallow depths,

against the cry of bitterns.

 

She treads with finite steps,

where sailfins fly

and mermaids die.

 

She wades between

riptides of fate,

hopes Tangaroa

will find her body.

 

Copyright © 2015, Nod Ghosh

CONTRIBUTORS NOTE:
When the meat and veg of life are difficult to chew, Nod Ghosh finds sanctuary in a gravy of words. Forgotten Skin examines the urge to self-mutilate, while Sailfins relates to when a person chooses death over life.

Tiki Girls

I am really nervous and wound up and wired-sorta on a roll-So calm down with ya calm downs-ya not think I wood calm down if I could-?

Tiki Girls just keep getting faster and we got legs that Not so much go on4ever-they just got a life of there own .

And we got wide winning smiles…..but we”re going2wreak your head and rip your heart and we”ll being baying4your love and mean it.

Tiki girls growing up in a land of isolation and ya just get so excited..ya just explode

Tiki girls they go ALL nite. Too fast for themselfs half the time but with brief spells of respilt and half hearted bashes at a 12 step programme

We just keep on keeping on

Yeah we pack our panties with a punch

but we”re not about talking cunts or GaGa wanta be’s

Tiki Girls, sorta emotionally bulimic

and we”re not so much listening2prozac

but chilling and chatting and cosy in its pocket

Tiki girls-I am surprised its not classed as some type of Disorder

and we got huge solf hearts and we”re a good time til that time-that times nay time, it just sorta cums sometimes

so calm down with your calm downs -ya not think I wood clam down if I could

Copyright © 2010 Louise aka ‘Gorgeous Disorders’

CONTRIBUTORS NOTE:
Gorgeous Disorders busted on to stage in Edinburgh in the early 80′s as a Performance Poet.  She is Dyslexic and has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as her main diagnosis.  She was also an in-patient at Sunnyside Hospital in New Zealand.  Gorgeous has attended creative writing classes and is now actively involved in Live Theatre in New Zealand.

Thirst II

I am penned / pent
like water damned
& pushing the walls /
the fighting ghosts
of oceans collected
together & storming

Ranginui licked the salt up
from Tangaroa’s rolling belly
& said he was thirsty
wanted a drink now
asked me to bring it to him
a cup to drink from

but my tongue crouched
against the roof of my mouth too

& Papa’ held her arms up
dry cracked at the end of summer
& singing out for a piece of sky

Copyright © 2010 Miriam Barr

CONTRIBUTORS NOTE:
Miriam Barr is from the Far North and lives in Auckland.  Her poems have been published in Landfall, JAAM, Poetry NZ, Black Mail Press and other places.  She is a performance poet with The Literatti and was creative director of the group for three years (2007-2010).  She works as a mental health promoter for Like Minds, Like Mine and is service director for Engage Aotearoa.