Jutting through the fog
The inner city buildings
Pierce the leaden sky
Standing erect in their
diaphanous gowns.
Qatar at dawn
Before the heat burns
Away
the emphemeral
covering that
Separates the building tops
From the ground.
In my 32nd floor cocoon
I enjoy the majesty
of the new day.
Showing posts with label Qatar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Qatar. Show all posts
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Qatar Poems - Gondolas
Under the painted Villagio skies we rode the gondola,
Steph and I.
Not Venice,
But a Qatari similitude.
With eyes half shut,
One could almost
Be in the Merchant's city,
City of dreams,
Of Shylock and Portia.
Steph and I.
Not Venice,
But a Qatari similitude.
With eyes half shut,
One could almost
Be in the Merchant's city,
City of dreams,
Of Shylock and Portia.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Qatar Poems - Sitting with my eLibrary
It's very different,
I'm not sure how it happened,
But here I am,
In my Leather Armchair
And my library is sitting on
the arm of my chair.
Not as impressive
as my physical library
Packed up half a world away
But here in Qatar
my book lust has to
be satisfied with my
Kindled iPad and me.
I'm not sure how it happened,
But here I am,
In my Leather Armchair
And my library is sitting on
the arm of my chair.
Not as impressive
as my physical library
Packed up half a world away
But here in Qatar
my book lust has to
be satisfied with my
Kindled iPad and me.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Qatar Poems - Leaving Friend
He sold the idea to me
Come to Qatar
Great place
Great people.
I left the green land
of Aotearoa
and came to Qatar
dry desert
with it's own charm.
Now he is going back
he has had enough
Leaving for Australia
Home of the kangaroo
wattle and gum tree.
Go well my friend
remember us
in our hour
of need.
Come to Qatar
Great place
Great people.
I left the green land
of Aotearoa
and came to Qatar
dry desert
with it's own charm.
Now he is going back
he has had enough
Leaving for Australia
Home of the kangaroo
wattle and gum tree.
Go well my friend
remember us
in our hour
of need.
Friday, March 7, 2014
The Qatar Poems - an explanation
Poetry is a very evocative reminder of ones life and adventures. I use this poetry blog as an electronic poetic journal. During my three yesrs in the UK I wrote many poems (see blog posts from 2008-2011). Back in New Zealand I wrote a series of outlaw and experimental poems as well as some regional poetry describing the Waikato around Hamilton. I am now on contract in Qatar and I am writing a series of Qatar poems that I will publish when I leave.
Apart from a short stint in Thailand, Qatar is the place that has been the most culturally different from my upbringing in New Zealand. I found that working in the US, UK and Australia was very close to living in New Zealand, but Qatar has been a complete change and cultural challenge. The first 3 months were very strange but after 7 months I found myself feeling at home. My wife joined me after 6 months and she is still going through the I hate Qatar phase. She is a country girl and I have taken her from a farmlet in the country to the deserts and dryness of Qatar. The adjustment has been dislocating for her but I recognise the cycle she is going through.
I'm sure I will look through these poems in years to come and they will strengthen my memories of my time here.
As I learn more Arabic, I am feeling more at ease. You will know this has infiltrated my mind when Arabic phrases make their way into the poems.
Peace
Grant
Apart from a short stint in Thailand, Qatar is the place that has been the most culturally different from my upbringing in New Zealand. I found that working in the US, UK and Australia was very close to living in New Zealand, but Qatar has been a complete change and cultural challenge. The first 3 months were very strange but after 7 months I found myself feeling at home. My wife joined me after 6 months and she is still going through the I hate Qatar phase. She is a country girl and I have taken her from a farmlet in the country to the deserts and dryness of Qatar. The adjustment has been dislocating for her but I recognise the cycle she is going through.
I'm sure I will look through these poems in years to come and they will strengthen my memories of my time here.
As I learn more Arabic, I am feeling more at ease. You will know this has infiltrated my mind when Arabic phrases make their way into the poems.
Peace
Grant
Qatar Poems - The Whanau Returns
From home they came
in the sky waka.
Wife and daughter
Back to the deserts
of lovely Qatar.
Leaving Aotearoa
with roimata,
Arriving in Doha
with roimata.
Tane whispered,
E whanau mā, haramai rā,
haramai.
Note: waka - canoe, Aotearoa - New Zealand, roimata - tears, E whanau ma, haramai ra, haramai - Family, Welcome, Welcome
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Qatar Poems - Winter End Blues
I never mourned
the passing of winter
in years gone past
but here in Middle Eastern climes
The cool respite
Is a welcome interlude
From the unrelenting sun
and heat.
So farewell my quarterly friend
I will remember you
as the mercury rises
and the sweat drops
in the country of
the Desert bloom.
Note: I moved to Qatar in 2013 and survived my first Summer. I thought I would never be cold again and the heat in mid summer was relentless. You can hardly walk 10 steps without becoming drenched in sweat. The last 3 months have been very pleasant but as we enter Spring the temperatures are slowly rising, but I now have a different kind of Winter appreciation.
the passing of winter
in years gone past
but here in Middle Eastern climes
The cool respite
Is a welcome interlude
From the unrelenting sun
and heat.
So farewell my quarterly friend
I will remember you
as the mercury rises
and the sweat drops
in the country of
the Desert bloom.
Note: I moved to Qatar in 2013 and survived my first Summer. I thought I would never be cold again and the heat in mid summer was relentless. You can hardly walk 10 steps without becoming drenched in sweat. The last 3 months have been very pleasant but as we enter Spring the temperatures are slowly rising, but I now have a different kind of Winter appreciation.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Qatar Winter
Everyone said
it never gets below
20 degrees...
But it does.
It is Winter
and surprisingly
I'm cold.
13 degrees
is 40 degrees off
the Summer High
So here I am
feeling cold
in the middle
of this desert state.
DK
it never gets below
20 degrees...
But it does.
It is Winter
and surprisingly
I'm cold.
13 degrees
is 40 degrees off
the Summer High
So here I am
feeling cold
in the middle
of this desert state.
DK
Friday, June 14, 2013
On Leaving Again
On Leaving (Again)
Well old girl
I'm off again
leaving you behind
permanently
The wander or wonder
lust has gripped me
again and it's
Haere Ra
Aotearoa
Well old girl
I'm off again
leaving you behind
permanently
The wander or wonder
lust has gripped me
again and it's
Haere Ra
Aotearoa
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Qatar Living
Doha
Splendid city
Exotic to me
Through Western eyes.
Sitting on a desert
beside the sea
resplendent
in beauty.
Splendid city
Exotic to me
Through Western eyes.
Sitting on a desert
beside the sea
resplendent
in beauty.
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