This is my version of advertisement for NZ Ministry of Tourism.
Come to New Zealand,
These islands will seduce you
with their beautiful women,
in tribal tattoos running down their lower backs
or up their shapely legs.
Come to New Zealand,
Where the men are so handsome
in their muscles and their smiles,
you can barely take your eyes of them.
And you tell yourself you are an artist,
and you are just observing the human anatomy
of how the muscle connects to the bone,
but you will be lying.
Come to New Zealand,
these islands will surprise you.
Where the wine aplenty and the cheese is good.
Where the soil is rich with music,
and adults still wear no shoes.
In the countryside, most leave their doors unlocked
and the fields are filled with herds
and funny looking birds.
Here are some of the comments I got for this poem on Facebook:
Suneal Varma: I like this....The tourism industry will be proud...it's better than mine.
Tali Landsman: Thank you Suneal. I have to admit that it is full of generalizations, but so what - this is poetic license...
Theona Turner: come to NZ ... these islands will seduce you with there false sense of security, with there violence a plenty, environmentally false advertising, a government who wants to sell you to the highest overseas bidder! Conservation disasters, poverty and injustice... Oh I know I'm on the negative buzz but everything I have said is the raw truth and as a kiwi I'm not too proud of my countries faults really!
Theona Turner: sorry people for the downer but there really is a lot we try and hide here
Nothing is perfect
Ray Nielson: for Theona, I understand- this is a situation that is not just in NZ In Florida we fight the same problems and feel some time our voice is not heard. but we have two modes, one is to enjoy that which we find most enjoyable to us and If we are in a country that gives voice to its citizens, then we must make that voice heard and encourage others to ... See Moredo the same, The key is balance and not let the fight overpower our peaceful mind set. Write the letter, or e-mail, ask others to do the same, Vote (informed) and let the rest go. Blessings to you Girl, You have voiced what many or us feel, Together perhaps we can change the world to a more peaceful place - at least and around us (smile)
Tali Landsman: Thank you Theona for your honesty.
My dear friend Ray, thank you for this and for trying to encourage Theona. we all know that there is no earthly paradise.
We take the good with the bad and bake the best cake we can.
The mechanism for happiness does not come from the place around us or our circumstances, but from our minds/ emotions and our patterns of processing information.
The people around us may not please us most of the time, but we must not abandon ourselves to the rough surf of emotions, but learn to re-educate our emotional body.
Suneal Varma: wow well said....this is a wake up call for me.
Anneke Bester: Theona, go to: http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/action/mining/action.asp
and write your email to John Key, to stop him from mining the DOC land. I did it and now I feel that I stood up for what is right. It takes a load off. Now I can sit back and listen to the Tui in the tree outside knowing that I did my bit to save his word and mine
Tali Landsman: Saying all this Theona, if you are around today, I am in my studio and would love it if you want to visit. I have an organic white wine in the fridge and we can bitch about the world.
Anneke Bester: Tali, love the Tourism for NZ thing. I must say that the half Maori half Pakia boys are just too yummy for words and yes, having the excuse that you are as artist is handy. I was working on a job and one of the boys had a body to die for. They got him to take his shirt off and pose for us. I had the camera and got to take nice closeup shots of his ... See Morewell toned torso. Just thinking about it now makes me a bit...how to say politely...lets say it brings a big smile to my face.
NZ is a great place and something worth fighting for.
Ray Nielson: I like Anneke Bester's solution. It is nice to have friends to share with. Tali, If you are a mind to, Take a sip of that organic white wine in my honor and Let us toast to a more peaceful and loving world ;-)
Theona Turner: Wooh!!! what a lot of debate your advert poetic licence thingy has generated Tali! On any given day it is easy to see the best and worst. Today my glasses are not rose tinted. Tomorrow will be a different day with it's own unique perspective. Maybe I will be upset about hints of racism, (speaking as a Maori), or I shall be admiring the view, may ... See Morebe uenuku is dancing across the harbour and perhaps I will be dancing too. I might be protesting to save Papatuanuku or skimming rocks on Tangaroa. I could be baking in one of my goddess aprons and having my cake and eating it too. While the surf may be up... the tide is going out all will be calm soon xxxx
Theona Turner: Oh and organic wine and bitching about the world sounds wonderful. I am busy being arty farty, (making aprons) at the moment so please invite me again as I would so enjoy hanging with you xxx
Lea Craddock: Yeah - right!!!
Reina Sutton: I am just glad I got a mention in there about my "shapely legs"and being a "funny looking bird" haha :p it was lovely reading that piece Tali, well written :)
Tali Landsman: Thank you Reina for your sweet humor. you are truly a NZ beauty (and a funny bird to boost).
And thank you Theona for your refreshing honesty.
Ray, Anneke and Suneal- thank you simply for being your wonderful original selves.
Lise Lite: Gosh, it is high time i jumped off the island...am obviously taking things as being the norm......
Anneke Bester: Its your amazing writings, it just sparks conversation and allow peoples minds to wander off to happy places...in my case it was that lovely torso.
These islands will seduce you
with their beautiful women,
in tribal tattoos running down their lower backs
or up their shapely legs.
Come to New Zealand,
Where the men are so handsome
in their muscles and their smiles,
you can barely take your eyes of them.
And you tell yourself you are an artist,
and you are just observing the human anatomy
of how the muscle connects to the bone,
but you will be lying.
Come to New Zealand,
these islands will surprise you.
Where the wine aplenty and the cheese is good.
Where the soil is rich with music,
and adults still wear no shoes.
In the countryside, most leave their doors unlocked
and the fields are filled with herds
and funny looking birds.
Here are some of the comments I got for this poem on Facebook:
Suneal Varma: I like this....The tourism industry will be proud...it's better than mine.
Tali Landsman: Thank you Suneal. I have to admit that it is full of generalizations, but so what - this is poetic license...
Theona Turner: come to NZ ... these islands will seduce you with there false sense of security, with there violence a plenty, environmentally false advertising, a government who wants to sell you to the highest overseas bidder! Conservation disasters, poverty and injustice... Oh I know I'm on the negative buzz but everything I have said is the raw truth and as a kiwi I'm not too proud of my countries faults really!
Theona Turner: sorry people for the downer but there really is a lot we try and hide here
Nothing is perfect
Ray Nielson: for Theona, I understand- this is a situation that is not just in NZ In Florida we fight the same problems and feel some time our voice is not heard. but we have two modes, one is to enjoy that which we find most enjoyable to us and If we are in a country that gives voice to its citizens, then we must make that voice heard and encourage others to ... See Moredo the same, The key is balance and not let the fight overpower our peaceful mind set. Write the letter, or e-mail, ask others to do the same, Vote (informed) and let the rest go. Blessings to you Girl, You have voiced what many or us feel, Together perhaps we can change the world to a more peaceful place - at least and around us (smile)
Tali Landsman: Thank you Theona for your honesty.
My dear friend Ray, thank you for this and for trying to encourage Theona. we all know that there is no earthly paradise.
We take the good with the bad and bake the best cake we can.
The mechanism for happiness does not come from the place around us or our circumstances, but from our minds/ emotions and our patterns of processing information.
The people around us may not please us most of the time, but we must not abandon ourselves to the rough surf of emotions, but learn to re-educate our emotional body.
Suneal Varma: wow well said....this is a wake up call for me.
Anneke Bester: Theona, go to: http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/action/mining/action.asp
and write your email to John Key, to stop him from mining the DOC land. I did it and now I feel that I stood up for what is right. It takes a load off. Now I can sit back and listen to the Tui in the tree outside knowing that I did my bit to save his word and mine
Tali Landsman: Saying all this Theona, if you are around today, I am in my studio and would love it if you want to visit. I have an organic white wine in the fridge and we can bitch about the world.
Anneke Bester: Tali, love the Tourism for NZ thing. I must say that the half Maori half Pakia boys are just too yummy for words and yes, having the excuse that you are as artist is handy. I was working on a job and one of the boys had a body to die for. They got him to take his shirt off and pose for us. I had the camera and got to take nice closeup shots of his ... See Morewell toned torso. Just thinking about it now makes me a bit...how to say politely...lets say it brings a big smile to my face.
NZ is a great place and something worth fighting for.
Ray Nielson: I like Anneke Bester's solution. It is nice to have friends to share with. Tali, If you are a mind to, Take a sip of that organic white wine in my honor and Let us toast to a more peaceful and loving world ;-)
Theona Turner: Wooh!!! what a lot of debate your advert poetic licence thingy has generated Tali! On any given day it is easy to see the best and worst. Today my glasses are not rose tinted. Tomorrow will be a different day with it's own unique perspective. Maybe I will be upset about hints of racism, (speaking as a Maori), or I shall be admiring the view, may ... See Morebe uenuku is dancing across the harbour and perhaps I will be dancing too. I might be protesting to save Papatuanuku or skimming rocks on Tangaroa. I could be baking in one of my goddess aprons and having my cake and eating it too. While the surf may be up... the tide is going out all will be calm soon xxxx
Theona Turner: Oh and organic wine and bitching about the world sounds wonderful. I am busy being arty farty, (making aprons) at the moment so please invite me again as I would so enjoy hanging with you xxx
Lea Craddock: Yeah - right!!!
Reina Sutton: I am just glad I got a mention in there about my "shapely legs"and being a "funny looking bird" haha :p it was lovely reading that piece Tali, well written :)
Tali Landsman: Thank you Reina for your sweet humor. you are truly a NZ beauty (and a funny bird to boost).
And thank you Theona for your refreshing honesty.
Ray, Anneke and Suneal- thank you simply for being your wonderful original selves.
Lise Lite: Gosh, it is high time i jumped off the island...am obviously taking things as being the norm......
Anneke Bester: Its your amazing writings, it just sparks conversation and allow peoples minds to wander off to happy places...in my case it was that lovely torso.
Anonymous: Subject: come to NZ- anonymous version
Come to New Zealand,
These islands will amaze you
with their strong women,
who are better than guys in every way
Come to New Zealand,
Where the people are like sheep
and the landscape like an artists dream
Come to New Zealand,
these islands will shock you.
Where the road rage is plenty and the cheese is cheesy
Where the soil is rich with music,
and adults still wear no shoes.
In the countryside, most leave their doors unlocked
and the fields are filled with herds
and funny looking birds.
Come to NZ
and Winston will ask you to fuck off
These islands will amaze you
with their strong women,
who are better than guys in every way
Come to New Zealand,
Where the people are like sheep
and the landscape like an artists dream
Come to New Zealand,
these islands will shock you.
Where the road rage is plenty and the cheese is cheesy
Where the soil is rich with music,
and adults still wear no shoes.
In the countryside, most leave their doors unlocked
and the fields are filled with herds
and funny looking birds.
Come to NZ
and Winston will ask you to fuck off
