Papa Aroha Poem by Jess Sinnamon

We drive in along the gravel road
And back the truck into our site.
I remember from when I was little,
It is all still the same.
The old wooden swing hanging from the pohutukawa tree.
We climb the up the tree, then swing across the river mouth.
The hot, black stones on the shore,
They warm my whole body.
I love to kayak around the point,
Listening to the peaceful sound the water makes.
The scallops are delicious.
There’s a big scallop bed out from shore.
We fish around the little islands..
Snapper and kawai always jumping our hooks
Then at night we all sit between the tent and truck.
Listening to the water lapping upon the shore and the quite sounds of night.
Before we all climb into bed, and wait for tomorrow to come.