Christchurch Rock and Roll

Jeffrey Paparoa Holman

Hi there OZs n NZs

On Michele's suggestion, I'm just letting anyone know who might care that we are OK here in QuakeChurch, albeit a bit frazzled after five days of aftershock post The Big Kahuna, the guy in the Underground Corner, weighing in at 7.1 Richters.

I wrote a vox pop kinda poem on Monday, sent it to the local paper, The Press, and they published it. A schoolgirl read it and wrote her own, to deal with the fear she was feeling.

Graham Beattie put mine on his blog - famous in NZ at least, is Graham.

Both poems below and a link to Beattie's Book Blog.  Great to be with you all Sydneyside, and I see you have a GuvMint at last - we know about pollys and horse-trading this side of the Ditch. :-)

Arohanui
Jeffrey & Jeanette.

September ‘Quake

Our chimneys came to life
bricks became birds
flew through roofs onto cars
landing on lawns  building up terror

Night with a crack made its move
tiles turned to leaves and fell
laid on the lawns
in terracotta glory

The roads were rivers
rubble the shops
theatre fronts fell
foundations were flowing

Neighbour is clasping
next-door neighbour
strangers are standing
as strangers no longer

History houses hopes clattered down
Fear came thundering   love stood its ground

Two days later the cat comes back
two days later she pads on in
two days gone she licks her paws
two days later she’s purring again
 

EARTHQUAKE
by Monica Koster (8yrs)

Earthquake! Earthquake!
Shaking... waking
people from their sleeps
buildings breaking
birds are waking
people under beds.
But I just hug my mum and dad
so we can all be safe.