Back Beach Poetry Trail

By Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature | Posted:

This beautiful trail in Port Chalmers was created by the Back Beach Writers’ Collective, a group of West Harbour writers and poets, and features the work of Port Chalmers ceramic artist Tina Grubba.

YACHT CLUB - ROBERT FREE

They flew a weathered windsock there
To indicate the breeze
Its lung was full of southerlies
From off the southern seas

SHIVERY BITES - CELIA WRIGHT
Shivery bites – you know
what you eat when you
first get out, all cold and wet
Ah yes! Home made Anzac biscuits
from a brown paper bag

THE ALBATROSS - RACHEL VANDERSTEAD
White wings reaching wide
He soars above southern seas
Embracing the wind

LEAVING - JUDY FISHER
It is hard to leave the ever changing view
Of ships and wharves and sparkling sea
Goodbyes are tough
A lot is said but really not enough

BOULDERS - JILL BALFOUR-SMITH
Water flip flip flips
Boats held gently
Hills drip grey mist

SELF PORTRAIT - BARRY BRICKEL
I’m like a rusty old tramp steamer
Engine running to good steady revs
The sea can wash around
Do what it likes
The boiler tubes are kept clean
With good wine!

CUPCAKES - DOROTHY HOWIE
Rest a while
Eat and drink your fill.
Green cup-caked islands,
Basined in deep blue.

PORT OTAGO - GRETA DOO
Where islands
headlands seamlessly glide
A caucus of gulls colonise
the corrugated horizon
Loaded boat heads out

KOPUTAI - TINA GRUBBA
Stone boat,
unmoved by the lap and
nudge of water
unfolding its veil
to cover you once again

KAMAU TAURUA - ANNA HOLMES
Quarantine Island
A place to set nets
Catching pestilence
From over the sea.

BEING AND POINTLESSNESS - PAUL CHAPMAN
At this point
you are reading these lines.
The Yarra’s point of sinking is lost
There are no end of points at which a line can end.