This, my last post, responds to a two-part visual essay by Peter Ireland, comprising images from the National Library's collection.
I am grateful to the National Library for their kind support and advice during my enjoyable and productive time as New Zealand Poet Laureate 2009-2011.
Cilla McQueen
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Lovely Gloves
Reverse glove ripple over reflection geometries stretch turn signs,
heart image histories this day's wattle and daub, schist, seaward heading hero dazzle in shelter handmade translucent shadow long-leaved cygnet pendant,
Chrysalis carefully unmove woman brush-tip in winter mist and shady earth floor
roof door the walker boots. Be in house and a rushing dog eye soldier bush illegible ladder to and fro, rare grace parts quiet child knee rock in language time.
Rest easy silence - all silent foot of sea-creature spring shy, clean tree, whale, blue illuminated vellum. Rearranging space fluent or beginning inside noble tussock listening to larks, this calm.
Calm cannon's here war distance singular between a coast a journey a quiet tarn touch, untouch a hoof to water as window lilts a lady and her dog
Slide asterisk wind dunes sign hat
And return celestial glow warps love in it once more white taffeta wings.
Sea-creature foot water, cairn and hillside turning bent thin trunk to
prayer language dawn a graceful woman. Mountain crumble coal-fired
steam-powered rock crusher noise rhythmic slow exposures, flash flood -
So in paint language book on knee speak akin to balancing dancer speed
a picnic in spacetime - shifting travel above ice obelisk say and meaning all together struggles wind-blasted,
Views with reserve stained glass flowering light through.
Touch, untouch, a hoof to water tranquil tarn in caterpillar ripples leaving all brave lilts a lady in space between reflection store under listen talk arrows this way and that fleet tracking dog,
Thinks poised one bud opening precious qualities mirror wind gesture, peer down mantis pictogram at happy hour to view the ice dancer one open
Starry mist message slice on a gauze rubble-wreaker iron business -
might instead strange poetry -
caught in a word game, skin to hand signature.
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Envoi
Day's narratives strung
on thought-lines
Supermarket to happy hour,
chrysalis to vista,
Each a step on a way
and a world of its own
Before and after
time stilled at shutter-fall.
References
1 Photographer: William Price
Premises of Green and Colebrook, Huntly, circa 1910
Ref: 1/2-001760-G
2 Photographer: Tesla Studios
Unidentified employee of (Wanganui Sign Company?) creating advertisement for ‘Wear Right’ gloves
Ref: 1/1-022322-F
3 Photographer; Samuel Heath Head
The French Mission visiting the Sign of the Kiwi, Christchurch, January 1919
Ref: 1/1-007521-G
4 Photographer unknown
Chinese miners with the Rev. Alexander Don, Tuapeka, circa 1900
McNeur Collection, Ref: 1/2-019148-F
5 Photographer: Gordon Burt
Bond Street, Wellington, 1956-1961
Ref: 1/2-037223-F
6 Photographer unknown
Interior of ‘The Talkeries’, business of Thomas Dwyer, Masterton, circa 1909
Ref: 1/2-043062-F
7 Photographer unknown
Display window of DIC, Wellington, 1944
Ref: 1/4-015034-F
8 Photographer unknown
Premises of J. Goodwin, Plumber (Upper Hutt?) circa 1912
Ref: 1/2-107542-F
9 Photographer unknown
Maori Battalion’s mobile canteen, WWII
Ref: 1/4-028490-F
10 Photographer unknown
Man painting a sign at entrance to Kilbirnie Stadium, Wellington, 1929
Ref: 1/4-032457
11 Photographer: Albert Percy Godber
Opening of the new Silverstream Fire Station, 1938
Ref: 1/4-038919-G
12 Photographer: Evening Post
Sign asking for ‘Silence’, Brass Band competition, Wellington Town Hall, 23 April 1951
Ref: 114/283/04-G
13 Photographer: George Kaye
Street sign in Taranto,Italy, November 1943
Ref: DA-04493-F
14 Photographer: George Kaye
Signs, including the diamond sign of the New Zealand Division, near Rimini, Italy, 16 September 1944
Ref: DA-06654
15 David at Prayer
Leaf from 15th century Book of Hours, Eastern France, circa 1460
Ref: MSR-02-F108R
16 Photographer: Max Oettli
From series of photographs of Dunedin, Wellington, and Auckland, 1967-1971
Ref: PADL-000145
17 Photographer unknown
View of Pahiatua, showing the ‘Club hotel’, circa 1910
Ref: PAColl-5671-24
18 Photographer unknown
Premises of RH Wyche, Shoemaker, Wellington, Date unknown
Ref: PAColl-6001-51
19 Photographer: Steffano Webb
Public telephone box, Christchurch, with Cathedral in background, August 1912
Ref: 1/1-004088
20 Photographer: Steffano Webb
Mansfield’s monumental mason’s yard, Christchurch, circa 1910
Ref: 1/1-004356-G
21 Photographer: William Archer Price
A stall at trade fair (Auckland?) with promotional stand for ‘Neopost’, 1930
Ref: 1/2-000266-G
22 Photographer: Evening Post
Two butchers outside Roseveare & Son, Wellington, 8 March 1951
Ref: 114/266/09-G
23 Photographer: Free Lance (magazine)
Manawatu Automobile Association road sign, 1955
Ref: PAColl-7171-35
24 Photographer unknown
Levin Rally Hall, date unknown
Ref: PAColl-6388-02
25 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Monarch butterfly chrysalis on a swan plant, circa 1930
Ref: 1/4-003592-G
26 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Flowering cactus, circa 1920
Ref: 1/4-003659-G
27 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Ice skater, Lake Tekapo, 1938
Ref: 1/2-009527-F
28 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Rees Valley, Otago, circa 1939
Ref: 1/2-009689-F
29 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Steam shovel excavating a cliff face, location unknown, circa 1939
Ref: 1/2-010277-F
30 Photographer: William Williams
Lydia Williams in doorway of house, Carlyle Street, Napier, circa 1880
Ref: 1/1-025645-G
31 Photographer: William Williams
Figurehead of the ship ‘Northumberland’, location unknown, circa 1880
Ref: 1/1-025693-G
32 Photographer: William Williams
Dunedin Telegraph Office, 1893
Ref: 1/1-025835-G
33 Photographer: William Williams
Taieri River, Otago, circa 1890
Ref: 1/1-025866-G
34 Photographer: William Williams
Man making walking sticks, Leith Valley, Dunedin, circa 1899
Ref: 1/2-140223-G
35 Photographer: William Williams
Gun emplacement, Fort Balance, Wellington, circa 1884
Ref: 1/2-140344-G
36 Photographer: William Williams
Shotover River, Otago, 1890
Ref: 1/2-140459
37 Photographer: William Williams
Obelisk and group at Green’s Point, Akaroa, circa 1910
Ref: 1/2-140545-G
38 Photographer: William Williams
Near Highcliff, Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, 23 September, 1894
Ref: 1/2-140629-G
39 Photographer: William Williams
Lydia Williams with stereoscope and cards
Ref: 1/2-141215-G
40 Photographer: William Williams
Cabbage tree in fog, Port Hills, Canterbury, 1938
Ref: PA11-147-003
41 Photographer: William Williams
Picnic, Leith stream, Dunedin, circa 1893
Ref: PA11-160-01
42 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Photomicrograph of a section through a Virginia creeper, circa 1930
Ref: PAColl-3052-21-01
43 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Dead tree, circa 1930
Ref: PAColl-3052-02-04
44 Photographer: Thelma Kent
Log attached to cable, Aorere River, circa 1930
Ref: PAColl-3052-01-07
45 Photographer: William Williams
Couple looking down on Lake Wakatipu from summit of Mount Alfred, December 1893
Ref: PA11-159-02
