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Andrew Rumbles unearths a self-published kiwi talent.

Author Miriam Saphira’s story is one that inspires. Having worked in prisons she fought for child abuse to be recognised and obliterated from young lives. Her own earliest memory is of abuse of her mother and herself. Her father’s war legacy is a pile of love letters with the man he quietly loved. She has a PhD in psychology. She has always found an outlet for what she wants to express in her art and words.

Her poetry is sparse and direct. Like her it muses and challenges.  Contact Miriam and get her book for the joy of reading poems like Plans by a Writer or the one we reproduce here Songs for Listmakers:

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Things to do today

computer chants

brain retired early and lost the list,

sparkling eyes have lit upon a book

I meant to

look at yesterday to find

a reference, just the right words

to describe the left field or

the right moment for the task

at hand. Brain lurches free of sleep

to pounce on things to do today

fifteen minutes for each item

on the whole list which means

if I sleep for twenty eight,

eat for twelve, toilet for four,

there will be fifty-two fifteen minutes left.

that is a lot of things to do today.

Words Don’t Come Easy by Miriam Saphira is self-published and can be found at www.miriamsaphira.co.nz

 Article | Andrew Rumbles. andrew@gayexpress.co.nz

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