Something About Auckland … Photos and Poem
Journey's start; the downtown Ferry Building
OK, here’s the photos and the poem. And for all those of you who say—but you haven’t mentioned Auckland’s traffic yet: no, I haven’t. But you see, for me, that’s a very long way from being all there is to Auckland and just for the moment, I’m focusing on some of that other, really good stuff. Shocking, I know, for a “one-eyed Cantabrian”, but sometimes you just have to call it the way you see it! 🙂
Passing Rangitoto Island
So here’s the poem:
—
Something About Auckland
Shelly Bay, Midwinter 2003
There definitely is something
about Auckland,
with the sea lapping in
along a hundred little bays
and blue
shining all the way out
into the Gulf, with its scattering
of islands,
turquoise misting into cobalt
and the sun sparkling
on every wave edge
curving in
to a pohutakawa-tangled
shore — boats bob, voices
calling one to the other
in that last, little rush
of landfall, unexpected echo
of summer.
(c) Helen Lowe
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Fine fare at Te Whau
The view from Te Whau, toward Rangitoto and Auckland
As a born and bred Cantabrian who did a twelve year stint in the Waikato and have now live and loved in Wellington for over thirty years Auckland has always had a siren aspect. Your poem captures it. Well done.
Harvey
Harvey—thank you. I think “siren lure” is a very good way of describing Auckland and it has some outstanding spots, from the islands of the Gulf to the wild West Coast beaches, the countryside around Clevedon to to Matakana and Leigh in the north—very hard to beat in one area, although I freely confess to being a fan of Wellington as well.
I was born and bred a Cantabrian, taught in the Waikato and have lived and loved in Wellington. But I’ve never joined the Auckland-bashers. On my frequent visits there was something appealing that your poem captures. Well done.
Harvey
I’ve never really been much of a “basher”—life’s much too short!