After dropping my wife off at her work in the Browns bay library I sit in the car park at the South end of the bay, North shore Auckland. Out across the Hauraki gulf, the entrance to Auckland harbour,is Rangitoto island, a dormant volcano and iconic symbol of Auckland city. For those of you who have never been to this part of the world this is what this verse is about., when ships were ships and shoe boxes didn't go to sea.


Marching out across the gulf,
sunlight and squall,
lead and gold,
lead and gold.
Obscuring first then showing
A sullen box boat
in the lee of Rangi.
She's no looker this one,
no federal boat or star.
Without grace she sits there,
expectant,waiting for her berth,
Pregnant with next years landfill.
All the way from China.