Hattie salmon
THe Rewa
[just off Kawau Island, Moturekareka Bay]
shivers at low tide
sunk to rust
in kawau salt
go to her with a plastic snorkel
to look for her heart in the sand
she was going to be a casino ship
she was going to be something beautiful
spent years
waiting on a northcote mooring
and waiting still
as if someone will be here to pick her up
any minute now
her ribs
the red exhibit
Dog
my dog is getting old
his eyes used to be
two volcanic rocks
but now they fog over
as if he is staring
at an overcast sky
so he can not see us
walk the other way at the dog park
and happily trots off
with an entirely different family
Hattie Salmon was a wide-eyed MA student writing a book of poems at the IIML last year – but otherwise just writes bad songs, weird stories, and excellent puns on the shopping list.