(Friday)
'we are now starting our descent, cabin crew ...... '
from my window seat New Zealand appears
I see land-
fall
the long black strip of beach, green hills rolling,
but my heart doesn't lift, it used to
perhaps I'm done with you?
from the airport we drive down state highway 1, left on to 2
Karangahake gorge appears, years since I've been here
we pass through
Waihi
with its palm tree welcome and scudded clouds
I remember you now and my heart lifts,
we were here, and happy
Mark
once, many times
(Saturday)
Opotiki
an old Toyota ute parked at the supermarket, thick with mud, someone's written:
'wish my missus was this dirty'
we stop at the lady's restroom
everything closed but 3 pharmacists and a cafe tucked away.
I wander into a museum,
of artefacts lovingly displayed
we hug the coast on 35 and pull up at Raukokore
an historic church built on a piece of land juts out into the harbour
bride-in-white,
a gaggle of peach bridesmaids wait outside
at Waihau Bay we stop and eat toasted sandwiches, drink beer
while locals play pool, watch us,
3.00PM the tide turns and the boats return
the curve here-
of the bay
turn left, leave 35 late in the afternoon,
find Lottin Point Motel at the end of a long gravel road,
greeted with a key and a jug of milk
on the balcony we sit and watch people climb up,
and down,
the rocks below
6.36PM-
cider
(Sunday)
dash-don't-dash-
the rain
Alison predicted yesterday is here, today
I sit
astride the balcony, facing the sea
and recall you, deep blue
the road
to Waihi
the way, you go.
the
rain returns, harder than before
35 where we left it,
pine
trees and tended farms hug the coast,
i imagine living here in winter, isolated, cold
i imagine living here in winter, isolated, cold
we turn inland, as the
rain sets in
find Hick's
Bay, a caravan park old, dilapidated,
coffee and manuka honey slice-
swoon
Te Puia
Springs,
an old hotel and a shack out the back
Annabel laughs as I wearily navigate an obese 'bulldog',
too fat
to chase anything
an old
bloke appears and opens the shed for us,
thick sulphur fumes
he lets the hot spring water flow into the pool,
thick sulphur fumes
he lets the hot spring water flow into the pool,
we stand
there until the heat and smell drive us out,
and that smell
lasts on our skins for days.
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