I’m not afraid of dying, afraid of you dying.
Afraid of the tōtara falling and being ground to mulch,
Eaten by the curb around the telephone pole
After doing burnouts on the marina road.

Smoking your head in the oven… because you’re bored
And you’re so unsure of what a young man’s job is
When there’s not a labour that’ll pay enough to breadwin.

You have such a small part in creation
Your hands are stilled from their carving;
There’s nothing left for you to carry.

You hang useless like your father’s work shirt.
If you think too long you know it,
That’s why I think
You don’t do it.

For Your Tangi

Ava Rose (she/they) is a Kiwi/American, Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū | Banks Peninsula based poet and student. While not studying, they can usually be found helping their cat pretend to go fishing. You can find their work published in Bad Apple, Catalyst, Fuego, Turbine | Kapohau, Mayhem, Circular, and Starling.