Author Archives: Janine Martig

When I’m near the end and can’t be bothered with tubes and things, if that’s the way it goes, take me into the bush and lay me down amongst the ferns And if I tell you I hear the song of the south island kōkako as it glides down towards me don’t say it can’tContinue reading “Autumn Song”

A man of few words and no vices unless you count watching three lots of news every evening a vice And muting the sports news. He’d ‘defrocked’ himself, he said, to not be tempted to prescribe medicine beyond his knowledge as he grew old. Reserved by nature yet he’d taken to the stage in GilbertContinue reading “Colin”

In threads of saffron, bright aromatic veins of my childhood, the Khond comes to me. Dirty knees up to my chin in the battered tin bath on the verandah, I pour water – pumped from the well in our garden – over my head, plastering curls flat against my cheeks. I giggle as the squareContinue reading “The Blood Red Earth”

The beater sits outside the Dhanraj Ranmal Bhatia sweet shop on a stone block, cushioned by a folded hessian sack. He raises the giant wooden pestle high above his head, straight-armed, muscles taut, the saffron-yellowed end pointing forwards. As he brings it down he aligns it with the stone mortar at his feet, gripped betweenContinue reading “Beating the Wedding Sweet”

The flat rooftops of the city spread out below the fort were rarely still. They were a platform for kite-flying, drying laundry, animated debates, outdoor eating, sleeping and all sorts of other activities.  Amina concentrated on the ball, tense as a tiger ready to pounce on dinner. The only movement came from the tunic tailsContinue reading “Cricket in Jodhpur”

I’ve seen you in every bonfire since that bonfire which you missed. It flickered in the valley in a thousand sets of village eyes while your eyes, brown as roast chestnuts, lost their last focus on the red and white striped climbing rope which lay beside you, a discarded umbilical cord amongst the rocky debrisContinue reading “Bonfire: for Fritz Ogi”

We sang in Xanadu cave Your rich strong bass notes suspended like jewels amongst the glow worms You introduced me to Mrs Miller who sucked ice cubes before she whistled to improve the tone Catch a Falling Star It’s a Hard Day’s Night So many dreadful renditions it was hard to choose my favourite YourContinue reading “Les Wright”

We always stayed out on the water till we’d seen the interesting thing An ancient turtle with its battle scarred shell A solo cruising tiger shark, sunlight dancing off its boldly patterned back A gentle dugong munching on sea grass calmly moving away, matching us inch by inch A family of synchronized swimming rays Dolphins,Continue reading “Dirk Hartog Island”

I met the lama’s wife, it’s true, cavorting, chortling lifting up her coloured skirts swish-swishing, tendrils of grey hair escaping from her low bun. She never took her eyes off you, her new daughter in gleeful camaraderie. I was in Whangarei, it’s true, but I met the lama’s wife. Girlish gap-toothed grin, face creased likeContinue reading “Dancing With The Lama’s Wife”

“We are the last stoats Stuart and Stefanie the last stoats on Aotearoa’s  shores. We are the last stoats Stuart and Stefanie the last stoats so spare us we implore.” “Do you think we are crazy or stupid or dumb? If we let you live our good work’d be undone! For you the last stoatsContinue reading “The Song of The Last Stoats”