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

Fine fare at Te Whau

The view from Te Whau, toward Rangitoto and Auckland