angeletoomey

Boot Camp Day 5: Renovation realities

There is a situation in New Zealand that has been described as a ‘housing crisis’. We haven’t been building enough houses to keep up with demand (driving up property prices) and what we do have is of poor quality (people pay a lot of money to live in cold, damp housing). When buying a houseContinue reading “Boot Camp Day 5: Renovation realities”

Boot Camp Day 4: Nature from another perspective

I am one of the rare people who won’t watch David Attenborough documentaries. It’s not that I have anything against Sir David, I love the sound of his voice, and his obvious passion for the environment. The documentaries are beautifully filmed and scripted. They are works of art. I don’t like watching the realities ofContinue reading “Boot Camp Day 4: Nature from another perspective”

Boot Camp Day 3: The Katherine Effect

This poem was inspired by a sculpture of renown Wellington/New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfiled. The sculpture is located on the corner of Midland Park on Lambton Quay. Katherine was born in Wellington in the late 1800s, the houses where she lived in the suburbs of Thorndon and Eastbourne are local landmarks. Her short stories, poemsContinue reading “Boot Camp Day 3: The Katherine Effect”

Boot Camp Day 2: Untangling knots

I sometimes feel that I spend half my life trying to escape the tangles I’ve created for myself…like setting a huge goal of a poem a day when I’ve managed to make very little time for writing in over a month. Perhaps the application of a little strategic pressure is just what I need. AsContinue reading “Boot Camp Day 2: Untangling knots”

History and destiny calling my name?

This is poem #1 of my self-imposed “2 week boot camp”. The aim is to post a poem every day for two weeks! I had a very close relationship with my maternal grandmother, she taught me how to crotchet and how to put food on the table when surprise visitors drop in. Her lavender scentedContinue reading “History and destiny calling my name?”

History never repeats? Hmm

I have been experimenting with form and themes lately. And repetition is something that has sparked my imagination. Using it to drum home a rhythm or focus on a sound has been a bit of fun. Below is a short work I banged out on a train trip into town a week or so ago,Continue reading “History never repeats? Hmm”

Reflections on an injury

The burn on my hand is healing ok, still sore at times. The following poem was inspired by the responses/comments I received when people saw my hand. Working on those phrases I went real dark, real fast…which seems to be my primary modus operandi. New injury, old wounds Their eyes are fullAs they stare atContinue reading “Reflections on an injury”

Some days are just like that

It starts the night before when you forget to reset the alarm, and it just doesn’t get any better as you race for the train; realise you’ve left your security card at home…and miss the last cheese scone from your favourite cafe. In a world that doesn’t wait for us, life can feel start toContinue reading “Some days are just like that”

The calm after the storm

I wrote this poem on my phone (there was not even a scrap of paper in my handbag, and I call myself a poet!) and uploaded whilst still on the train. I have just come back into the post to add some context! For those of you outside of New Zealand, we’ve just had aContinue reading “The calm after the storm”

Before a show

This poem was written a couple of years ago. My wife and I were at a Comedy Gala waiting for the show to start. From our seats, I could see sets of eyes occasionally peer throw a gap in the curtain. Imagining myself in their shoes, I wrote the following poem… It is also theContinue reading “Before a show”