The General Store by Mekhi Tauakume

Congratulations to newly published author Mekhi Tauakume, who was in Year 8 at Russley School in 2018. Mekhi's poem, 'The General Store' was written during a poetry workshop with the School for Young Writers at the Ferrymead Heritage Park. The poem was published in Toitoi 14 in February 2019.

The poem was illustrated by Rosie Meyer, also aged 13 years.

Congratulations Mekhi

School for Young Writers

Poets Make History

Two Russley Writers attended Poets Make History, a Poetry Workshop with award winning Canterbury poet Gail Ingram. The workshop was held at Ferrymead Historic Park and the writers used the surroundings as inspiration for their poems.

George and Mekhi created some awesome poems inspired by The General Store and the Old Schoolroom. Scroll down to see the photos (most taken by Mekhi) and read their poems.

The General Store

My fingers touch the carvings on the coin

New Zealand one penny, 1943

with a tui

milk chocolate scorched almonds

I wonder how many there are

in a box?

Colman's mustard

five shillings per tin

a basket of wooden pegs

like little sleeping people

wooden drawers slide open

with dill, curry powder, thyme,

nutmeg and all the spices

parcels wrapped in brown paper

tied up with string

in a bicycle basket

I wonder what’s in the parcels?

Upright iron grand

Ask What Thou Wilt

Brown October Ale

Remington typewriter

keys in random spots

like natural disasters

by Mekhi Tauakume

Ferrymead General Store

I hear the buttons on the cash register clunk in despair.

I stare at jars of vibrant, shining, lollies (that will not last).

I absentmindedly scrape my hand across

the master crafted piano, causing a hideous tune.

I wonder at the tins of peacock jam,

its blues and pinks positively shining.

I flick my fingers against the pots, jars and

barrels, the sound resonating throughout the room.

The hand sewn clothes hang like thieves

above the domes, hat pins and lace.

by George Grundy

How to Have a 1950’s Lesson

Start

by singing

God Save the Queen

click click

abacas

smooth feeling of wooden

chairs on your back

bunch of holes and dents

on the desk

hands aching

Slap!

of the teacher’s ruler

chalk scraping across

the blackboard

squiggly words

ink stained fingers

End

By Mekhi Tauakume

1860’s Child

Gaze upon the rustic woodwork

Smell the crackling fire

as it devours clumpy coal

But fast!

equip the quill

The teacher patrols

in the dim glow of the lanterns

belt in hand

so squiggle rapidly

as not to anger

The One in Power

by George Grundy

Moana's Spoken Word

Team Moana has also been experimenting with oral poetry. We each contributed a word or words to the poem and spoke the poem, rather than writing it down.

This one about the beach was so cool however, that I just had to grab a pen and scribble it down.

Untitled

spiky crabs 

pinching like pliers

rough driftwood floating

like boats

smooth seashells

glistening in the sun

by Meagan, Khadija, Ella, Jada & Mekhi

Photo credit: P. Koster