The Curioseum

The Russley Writers' Club discovered a brilliant new book, The Curioseum, which is a collection of short stories and poems by New Zealand authors. The writers each chose an item from Te Papa museum and used it to inspire a story or a poem. You can listen to some of them read their work here: The Curioseum

Our Russley Writers took up the challenge to write their own creative piece of poetry or prose, inspired by a curious object. I took in an old pocket-watch, a book of poetry, a florin (coin) and a German dictionary which was given to my grandfather while he was in a Prisoner of War Camp during World War 2.

Here are the imaginative pieces from some of our writers...

Russley Writers' Curious Objects

Bang! Clatter!

I’m made.

1962 has a new florin in town

I’ve met up with my million relatives.

I’m thrown in a big sack.

The top opens

thousands of my relatives

start screaming.

As they go away from me

tears start to roll down

my surface.

As 46 years have passed

I’ve nearly been around every shop

but one

antique store.

I see a person walking in

through a small crack

in the cash register

He purchases a pound of butter

he hands over five dollars

the register opens

I’m handed over to the man.

He walks straight over the road

and into the antique store.

He looks at me and I look back

I’m put on the shelf

as an antique.

by Riley G

* * *

I AM THE GREAT OLD BOOK

I’m old

a great old book

I’m thin

the front of me is bent

I was published in Great Britain

my spine is getting wrecked

and turning light green

edges coloured with pinky purple

and cream

by Holly

* * *

I was born in 1962

in a factory

sent to the queen

then a boy

who happened to be skipping along

past a dairy

he handed me in

to a black container

Ding!

It was dark and cold

finally I was brought into the light

then put into a cosy

leather wallet.

by Quinton

* * *

THE COIN

Born 1962.

Queen Elizabeth the second on the side.

A kiwi on the other.

One florin

1962 New Zealand.

Which side is tails?

Which side is heads?

The bird is tails.

The head is the Queen.

The coin belongs to

New Zealand.

It has been to England.

The coin was once

glistening.

Now the coin is

very, very old

and drab.

by Brayden

* * *

The soldier’s watch

looks like a circle

the back is green

with silver sparkles

sounds like guns

banging very loud

feels sad in the heart

missing family

smells like gunpowder

by Mitchell

* * *

There once was a silver coin

born 1962

in New Zealand.

He was one in a million

a florin.

Every time it passed a new object

he would suck it in

to his picture

on the side.

The picture would come to life.

by Ben M

* * *

Understanding German

The old tattered spine

has string falling out.

Nowhere to go but on a book shelf. 

Should it be in a museum or

should it be in a house?

My prisoner of war number will

always will be remembered .

by Azryn