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What I Caught In New Zealand


I grew up in New Zealand. I hated it.
My father was a roofer.
I used to help him.

I remember sitting on a roof in Upper Hutt one day.
I was rubbing bits of sandpaper together so my Dad would think
I was busy. But I wasn't working.

I was looking over the suburban roofs
Into the sky
Thinking I will die if I have to stay here.

So what I really caught
In New Zealand
Was need for freedom.

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Comments

1 - 6 of 6

  • Edna Sweetlove
    January 10, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    What I caught in New Zealand was the crabs.


    • just mercedes gold member
      January 24, 2008
      Edit | Reply
      pedantic, maybe, but shouldn't that be "were the crabs"?

      • Edna Sweetlove
        January 24, 2008
        Edit | Reply
        I think "was" is OK as "the crabs" is a collective noun for public lice. I think "What I caught in New Zealand were the crabs" would imply catching several individual crabs.

        Whilst on the subject of pederanty (as opposed to pederasty which is more fun but illegal), the last line in your poem is a bit dodgy....Surely "THE need for freedom".....?

        Touché! Ole!


  • kiwigirljacks gold member
    January 3, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    I'm feeling ya!! I'm living here now and all I want to do is leave really.. except I have family here which makes it hard.

    I liked this write!


  • Barry Hodges silver member
    January 3, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    Where do you live? I have often visited Oz and NZ and on most trips one at least of my relatives has met a sticky end. If you tell me where you live it is almost certain that a friend got killed there. I have recently attended about 30 family funerals and people recognise my black tie - it's the one with the instantly recognisable mixture of stale crocodile tears and the solidified fat from Wall's cocktail sausages. Thus it may take some time before I am able to write a poem and dedicate it to you, but eventually your dream will come to pass.

  • just mercedes gold member
    December 30, 2007
    Edit | Reply
    oh dear. this is so sad. need for freedom, that is a big need. you are no longer in new zealand, i know, so i hope you have found freedom. i didn't know that roofers could cheat like that. i like the image of sitting on a roof, looking at the sky and wanting to be somewhere else. nice.

1 - 6 of 6