born!

A child has been born. 

My friend is deeply in love 

with the little one.

Photo: In the grass of a garden, New Zealand
Text: A warm hello to little J, born 4.2kg

I trust rain

Rain today, Monday.

I trust this day.

Photo: Wet berries, Carterton, New Zealand

way

Many people have given.

Photo: One of many 'Give Way' signs, New Zealand

significant arrangements

I want to show you every simple significant thing.

Autumn is almost over. It's the sacred, sensual

time of year. In December the trees will be standing around

with great clarity - ignorantly arranging a better world.

Photo: Leaves from winter trees

Text: Excerpt from 'Writing Home' by Dinah Hawken

lines and silences

Today, poetry day in ZEALand, five poets are driving the Wairarapa region and delivering poems at schools, libraries and museums. 

Here are some of the silences in between.

Photo: A road off Highway Two, New ZEALand.

another horizon

If I am on an airplane, I choose a seat
for the cloud horizon.
Photo: Sky between Australia and New Zealand

puddle tap

I want to step into that puddle,

into that shine.

Photo: Off Norfolk Road, New Zealand

hong kong typhoon

Yesterday, a typhoon hit Hong Kong, and I am thinking of you.

Photo: A neighbo(u)r's plant

larger than

I pulled off the road into a very small town. A shingled church, horses in paddocks, a winter apple tree with a few golden ones still attached. Then I saw this stump, seemingly larger than the town itself.

Photo: Trees, Wairarapa, New Zealand

triangles

I have read that the triangle is the strongest shape, and I think of mountains, not this roadside threesome.

Photo: Parking guides, Paris

blue-eyed

I like my blue eyes.

Photo: Window and shed, New Zealand

mid-tree

I climbed up a lookout tower to see these winter willow.

Photo: Pond, willow, path, Masterton, New Zealand

well and so

A friend of mine is traveling halfway around the world today. He is traveling to make a book on one of his homes. I wish him well, and I miss him so.

Photo: C in front of a loved restaurant, Hong Kong

strawberry and rock roses

Here in this hemisphere, spring is coming. Weeks ago, these strawberry leaves, shining, and yesterday, rock roses, purple as buds, then lighter, fainter, as open petals.

Photo: Strawberry, Carterton, New Zealand

everything lit

I see both sky and water.

Everything lit. 
And I think of Robert Creeley and his word
for the light in New Zealand: 
particularizing.

Photo: Garage edges, Wellington, New Zealand
Text: I think of P's island roof on her birthday

huge flowers

This room reminds me of words 
I have written elsewhere:
'Words lift

the top layer of ponds

and buds fast forward into unnamed flowers

as large as clouds
that hold all of this
all of this.'

Photo: Seeing the flowers of Ana Tzarev, Saatchi Gallery, London

Text: Excerpt from Writing in the Dark, page 87 of my book, Something Beautiful Might Happen

floating

I have been here, looking, feeling, floating, waiting.

Photo: Beach, Titirangi, New Zealand

a stream day

I was near this stream all day today.

Beautiful sound, smell, sight.

Photo: The stream near the house, New Zealand

willow hello

In my childhood, there were many willow. We ice skated near one, and played ball.

Now, here they are again, as ever. 

Photo: Winter willow, pond, New Zealand

curtains of paint

As curtains part,

a story on a door.

Photo: Lantau Island, Hong Kong

mammal, mammalette

This cow will soon to be a mother, and I try to feed her extra when I can. (The male keeps pushing his way to the food first.)

And in the next paddock is a sheep with her two new lambs. The ewe keeps a close eye.

Photo: A cow named Dilmah, Carterton, New Zealand

winter morning buildings

I was walking along this street the other winter day, feels like winter everywhere, and this morning crunchy frost on the grassy ground, and snow in the hills. 

Sometimes, we can see our breath indoors.

Photo: Carterton street, New Zealand

signs and rooms

I like to consider signage. In one public building, both the men's and women's rooms had a baby-changing area. In another, signs indicated that boys over the age of seven could not enter the women's changing rooms, and girls over seven could not enter the men's.

Photo: Sign for the women's toilets, airport, New Zealand

rest

I would like to rest here for a while.

Photo: Sunday, Masterton, New Zealand

to my father

It is my father's birthday today, and I thank him 

for being born, for living so fully for 85 years, 

for teaching me to live fully, 

respectfully.

Photo: At Henley Park, Masterton, New Zealand

holding on

We walked past this pine the other morning. The tree seemed dead, but the cones stayed, mostly two by two, holding on to the branch, and to each other.

Photo: Henley Park, Masterton, New Zealand

pink, reveal thyself

A few months ago, a friend and I parted at this cross-border bus station, and then saw each other again at an airport on an island. 
We both like things bright, like pink buses and songs to sing to, and we both feel revealingly.

Photo: Bus station, Hong Kong

openings

One year ago, we swam to these openings in the land.

Photo: Eastern Hong Kong

always full

Tonight and every night the moon is full, 

seen or unseen.

Photo: Cloud, pond

Hong Kong, stay strong

Yesterday, July 1st, marked 15 years that people 

in Hong Kong have been living in the 'one country,

two systems' system with China. 

Hong Kong, please stay strong.

Photo: A building along the route of the annual 1 July march, Hong Kong.
This year, anywhere from 40,000 to 400,000 people (depending on the reports) 
walked for democracy, rights, voice.

leaning

A tall person,

I like to lean.

Photo: Paris bookstore