Rachel Gomez

Wairarapa, New Zealand

Biography: Born in New Zealand, Rachel Gomez is a freelance writer and poet, dividing time between Hong Kong and New Zealand.  Rachel holds a Graduate Diploma in Journalism Studies, from Massey University, Wellington and writes on a broad range of subjects.   Believing poetry is a unique language, bridging the gap between self-expression and our common bonds, Rachel’s writing explores current affairs and the fragility and strengths of the human condition. Currently, concentrating on her first anthology of poetry, Rachel combines writing with illustrations/photographs from her travels.  When not writing, she makes appearances at national poetry events, pops up on national radio and stares, equally lovingly, at her husband and cat.

Two Poems  -  Love In The Time of Covid  -  Madre, Sento Tamborini!

Written: 13th April.2020

Love In The Time of Covid

Sleep defies my weary lids

Your arms, so far away

My fingertips reach for you

Run along your spine

Through lengths of fibrous cable

An optic illusion, of oceanic proportions

Alphabetic intimacy

The tsunami of emotions

Rising

A Morse code

Of love

Competing for space

We Twitter, as if beaked

Wings clipped

Banded wrists

Who were we to think the earth belonged to us?

Even now, I rely on her briny depths

The world’s a ship without captain, my love

No steadfast course

The modern watch keepers too busy listening

For heartbeats

Jonah’s gaoled in the whale, filled with our plastic offspring

And we live the same day over

Apart

Except for the messages, bottled and corked

Thrown into the sea -

A lifeline

Of love

Created: 19 March, 2020

Madre, Sento Tamborini!

The Italians sing

Tapping tambourines

Solitary figures in camaraderie

A Morse code of morale

Muzzling the doddering world –

In brief respite

Romeos

Juliets

A prayer carries in the wind

Across Vatican City’s square

Hallowed pigeons bowing heads

Grateful -

For unclipped wings

Could they carry wishes?

To Gods unknown

No amice under alb

The Eternal gladiators

Swing gilded swords

Of mettle

Arms - length

In ticketless battle

A Covid Colosseum

The rattled

Sway

The earnest Songbirds

Tap –

     TAP –

         TAPPING

Tambourines