Poppy Haynes (Chilton St James School, Lower Hutt)
Had I an intelligent dolphin…
I like the idea
of riding a dolphin
down the Hutt River
perhaps because of its sheer absurdity
dolphins being mostly salt water dwellers
and the Hutt River being rather too shallow
for such an escapade.
Perhaps, because I relish the thought
of speeding past Gladys,
purposefully trundling the bus towards
school and assembly and complex conjugates.
Leaving Silverstream, there would
be the problem of the weir.
However, had I an intelligent dolphin,
we could jump it
in the kind of perfect arc
formed by a rainbow
or a perfectly lobbed paper dart.
Sleekly, in slow-motion
we would rise,
splattering the sky with
cascades and Catherine Wheels
of muddy water.
And people would stop
their cars and stare
as my dolphin and I
splashed and skittered joyfully
out to the harbour.
