Tony Beyer was born in Auckland in 1948 and, after a period living in New Plymouth, he has returned to Auckland.  His most recent books are the tanka collection Isthmus and Dream Boat: Selected Poems. Email Tony.

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riverbank
lined with hats
whitebait season

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south road
crosses on a fence
where a family ended

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nobody home
the evangelists
talk to the dog

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first love
the secret her face
tells everyone

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late walk
beach and moon
the same curve

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all the notes
in the skylark’s song
sky blue

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sandflies
tiny bits
of Buddha

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summer ice
the shopkeeper
bangs his scoop

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magnolia shade
cicadas
in both ears

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livestock auction
no one bids
for the sparrows

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Publication notes

riverbank: paper wasp 7 (Australia) 2001.

south road: ibid.

nobody home: Famous Reporter 26 (Australia) 2002.

first love: Kokako 2 (NZ) 2004.

late walk: paper wasp 10, 2004.

all the notes: Bottle Rockets 11 (US) 2004.

sandflies: Kokako 8, 2008.

summer ice, The Heron’s Nest X.3 (US) 2008.

magnolia shade: unpublished.

livestock auction: Kokako 11, 2009.