Still

Photo of the sky tower in Auckland as seen from below on a partly cloudy day. Tree limbs twist in the foreground with the sun glinting through them.

The city is still,
from ashes branches protrude
bare from winter’s bite.

Humans

Photo of a still water body in the Auckland zoo with a small, lake kayak on it. — A duck enclosure and a fake kayak, Auckland zoo.

We’re barely afloat
a kayak on a still lake
chaos in our minds

Missing

Photo of raindrops on a window of a ferry, with a view of dark clouds and the ocean.

As tears, rain drops fall,
ominous clouds gather round—
spring goes a hiding.

Unknown

Photo of the flight path map in a plane travelling from Australia to New Zealand across the Tasman sea.

Teetering on edge:
moving to a new country;
jumping off a cliff.

Zen boat

Photo of an Auckland ferry approaching the dock, with other smaller boats in the background. — Auckland ferry

Hanging out at sea—
grounded but head in the clouds,
boats live the zen life.