Haumoana by Mike Tolhurst

Black billed gulls wheeled across the ocean
tortilla flat beneath the August sky where underneath
the gravelled beach stretched on forever
and sunk out of sight below the disappearing sun.

Trapped pools of water lay captured above the waterline
reminding us of our dilemma
while the sea-breeze blew messages  
from your home in Switzerland which held our future in its grip.

We sat hand in hand and watched
the children play in the retreating warmth hiding  
the secret of our destiny from each other
but knowing all the same that it was there and real.

At least right then our love was unperturbed
as the stones skipped lightly across the cooling sea
allowing us the luxury of forgetting for an hour or two
that a Judge’s ruling might come and change our lives forever.

That day at Haumoana we discovered the depth of pain
but still the sea spirits spoke clearly to our hearts and
for a time at least all was lost  
as you and I and the children were together and free.