Otari -Wilton Bush
Collected Writings by Raroa Extreme Writers
The path was worn and tired. The trees were old and withered. These figures, welcome all Who need a rest From the outside world. A abstract painting of green, looms over a living city. It climbs, and crawls, on building’s walls. Its citizens, many races. Its citizens, many animals... They shelter all. They build great things. For these trees are everything. For everyone‌ Feather wings flutter in the breeze, As others fly by. They fly with ease, Then they say goodbye. SAMUEL BISHOP
The Fall Of An Empire A ruin of Kingfishers crumbles, where a mighty empire once stood. Huhu grubs now squirm where the blue birds call was once heard. Once, It was the throne room of an empire. Now it is only wood. Alex Lewis
An Absence Of Danger There were fish once, here. The water once rippled and splashed. And their scales once sparkled and flashed. now the water is dull and still. Algae and tadpoles make their home, where the fish once swam.
Alex Lewis
Shadows of a Seat
The seat resides there, untouched by the winds of time. A shadow of a man sits there, contemplating his history. His life, his death. His sorrow, his happiness. Memories envelop him, taking him to a place that history forgot. He flashes a rare smile, sad as it was. Nobody cares. Nobody remembers. Nobody knows. Except him. A ghost of a good man. A ghost of time. A ghost of a world forgotten. Who knows?
Tom Lewis
Just Before the Rain The trees leisurely rock and sway, Waving goodbye to the sun, Who smiles sadly as the clouds pass by. For his time is finally done. Heavy raindrops patter, Gradually falling to our land The branches provide shelter, Like an umbrella at the hand. The ferns sigh softly, They slowly curl up and fend, While the water from the stream runs quickly, Like a journey without end. The crickets hum loudly, Like an orchestra of strings, Small caves attract curiosity, For they could be filled with many things. The bush is swarming with life, If only we could see, What secrets we could unlock, And search deeper throughout history. The wind whistles sharply, Causing many things to blow,
The leaves don’t know who’ll be first to fall, Does the wind know? Isabella Radka
The Fabulous Otari Circus!
Come one, come all! Come see the Otari Circus! See the Trapeze Fairies walking the tree ropes under the Big Canopy! Get your very own Firecracker Ferns by the Dancing Ratas! Check out the hula hooping trees left to the Koru stand! Buy some Eco-Handkerchiefs - just $7.30! Take a refreshing swim in the ancient pools of the forest! Have a calm picnic on the glossy mossy blanket of grass! Check out our Spearing Needles, needless to say the spears have been spared from their spires! Take shade underneath the canopy of moss surrounding the Dazzling Bushes of Wonder! An once you’ve had enough, why don’t you make like a tree and leave! Thank you for visiting the Otari Forest Circus! We hope to see you soon! Chester Young
A Lonesome God The leaves loom, overhead. the figure that sits there, lonesome, stares into the distance. a droplet of water falls, and splashes. the silence breaks, shatters like glass a bird bursts from the treetops. no peace anymore.
-Rion Anderson
Evil Kingdom The curled hands, Stretch up. So twisted, That they almost Look in pain. They’re a nefarious, Dark And twisted people With their own sky. But not for them, For those beneath them. Barely any light Escapes through. Be careful there, For you wouldn’t want To get lost, In the evil kingdom.
Sophie Thomson
Widow Maker The trunk Stretches up, Almost as if There is not only one In that spot. The nickname, So apt, The widowmaker. The cause Of much grief. Who would think That the one Right in front Of your eyes Could leave you Dead.
Sophie Thomson
Wonderland The entrance to Wonderland is near, A root in the form of an arch Taking you to the rabbit hole. Have you been there? To Wonderland? Where everything is growing, Breathing, And green. Where the trees grow tall, With bushes small? There I am Free. Sophie Thomson
One Thousand Broken Fingers The wind whispers past my ear, laughing softly. All I can do is gaze at my snapped and twisted fingers. “Now, shall we do it again?” “No,” I groan. “Really? It might not hurt as much. Maybe you won’t be able to feel it anymore.” Her voice, so beautiful, so soft, taunts me. It’s hard not to scream, to beg to die. But my stubborn pride refuses. “No? Well. It seems I’m out of time. Goodbye for now.” Her great cape of ice swirls around her as she turns. “Oh,” she says, looking over her white shoulder. “Always a pleasure.” I go from helplessness to anger, a great red, roiling miasmic cloud, filling my stomach, my chest, my arms. I scream, because there is nothing else I can do, rooted to the riverbank. Several birds fly upwards, squawking in alarm. Because I am helpless, because my very nature keeps me anchored to the side of this muddy riverbed, I stab at the sky. With my one thousand broken fingers. Freya Kelly
Within a garden , Within an atmosphere quivering with peace , Water rabbit ’ s eye clear and statue still , Starting at a spring as small as a sleeping kitten , Of who the pond is the star of his dream , Flaxes bobbing to the rhythm of the breeze , A bird calling unharnessed wild spirit , A gecko scuttling across grey gravel , A spider paragliding across on a strand of fragile web , The pond in the Alpine Gardens , Is a vision of life .
Holly O ’ Connor
Trees (a haiku) Vine-strewn trees stand tall Guardians of the forest Watch me as I walk. Rebecca Elder
Light and Leaves Sunlight seeps through leaves, Rays turns the forest floor gold, Bathed in soft sunbeams. Aliya Cross
Together Green and gold and brown Merging together Ferns and leaves and trees Growing together Peace and calm and quiet Combining together Me and my thoughts In the forest together Aliya Cross
Walking through the bush, with the silence of the hike. As you wonder what a life in such a place would feel like, Would you wake up every morning, raindrops rolling down your face? As you stare outside this forest, at a technology-built disgrace. To know that was how you lived, how life once was for you, Waking every day to check on Plants vs Zombies 2. This constant use of devices has become such a bore, Knowing there’s a great big world here, and others, to explore. Go on an adventure, or be fixated on a screen. Why spend your time on facebook? There’s so much you haven’t seen. Find out what’s on offer, take risks on something new, Live life to the fullest, make the wildest dreams come true. So get off the computer, The world is on display, Have the best time in forever, Make the most out of today. Jemma Seymour
Silence like a slap in the face. In this loud, booming age, it’s a disgrace, And a concrete hush forevermore. “Beautiful, it was before!” The breeze whispered everywhere But here, in this forest air Just quiet music of trees and birds. Fiona Bogunovic
An overwhelming silence, as if this graceful forest, has just finished dreadful violence. A peaceful song, a tui, perching on a branch, a bird who has done no wrong. It stops, I wonder, has it given in, to silence’s deadly plunder? I hear the rushing of a stream, I stop, and I stare, I watch the water dance and gleam. The tui then resumes its song, a sound of happiness and peace, then others sing along. The sound washes away all fear, the forest is alive again, and others feel it, far and near. The place I will never leave in a haste, so beautiful, and filled with peace, Otari, a happy place. Holly Inglis
Nature’s Kingdom
Ferns Nature’s fireworks Bursting out of the ground Grass Nature’s carpet Softening the land around Glow worms Nature’s nightlights Enhancing the dark that surrounds Birdsong Nature’s music Filling silent hours with melodic sound Florence Kitteridge