Hahei Beach at 7pm

Heads bobbing like seals,

squeals the unique frequency of teenage years

too old to play sand castles,

adrenaline – coursed veins cannot process the cold without an allergic reaction

(survival purpose: unconscious

attract attention,

a male,

procreate).

Bodies of potential,

naturally bleached

by gentle sun rays.

The Drive To The North

Sea lapping at car tyres,

soft sparkles,

sky a pale imitation of waves

rising in mountains

then mole hills –

the sirens call for human toes to step

in over

the edge

‘I dare you’.

Beach Thoughts

Yesterday you were beautifully pearly sheened,

white warmth in your embrace,

calm, serene.

Today you give me the washed up,

chewed up

spat out –

no cushioned sand but

pebbled words and

seaweed clings to your tongue,

sours –

You are not who I thought you were.

It did not take a tsunami

but a tidal wave

to change your heart.

Review Quotes:

‘Kenyon explores the difficulty of dealing with a loss in a place far removed from where the loss occurred. She also interrogates the complicated emotions felt upon returning home to a familiar setting, now absent of those loved ones associated with home… Ultimately, Digging Holes to Another Continent is a small but powerful chapbook that carries the reader through the ups and downs of travel, family, love and loss. The final poem (which I will let you read for yourselves!) is an extremely strong and thought-provoking finale. Definitely readable in one sitting, Kenyon’s poems each tell a story on their own, but collected into a chapbook, create a captivating narrative you won’t regret reading.’ – Beth O’Brien, Mad Hatter Reviews