Lost In New Zealand Poem by Kirby Wright

I stroll Marsden Road in Paihia. Jungles beckon offshore. Boats float in cobalt bays as the ferry churns toward Russell. I’m addicted to snapping pictures, murdering seascapes with clicks. Memories of trips bleed on glossy paper.

A gray couple zombies by eating gelato in sugar cones, moving south for town. I photo their backsides at dusk. I’ve grown tired of marching the frontage road at night alone against traffic, as if heading into headlights reveals things hidden as a child. Sadness in my stride? Say, where’s my hotel?

A silhouette island blooms on the water.