SUE WOOTTON lives in Dunedin, where she writes, and is raising three children. Her poetry has been published in various journals and magazines, including the NZ Listener, Poetry New Zealand, Turbine, JAAM, Bravado, Takahe and North & South. A first collection of poems will be released in 2005 by Steele Roberts.

Wootton comments: ‘One day, as I was rushing into a Countdown supermarket, five words hit me on the head. At least, that’s what it felt like. The words were: “I can’t work miracles, Antonio.”

‘This desperate little fragment of speech, coupled with the lovely name Antonio, pulled me up short. I glanced around and saw, just for a moment, the exhausted face of a young woman, and the rear view of a child. The child’s blond head was softly but insistently butting the mother in the stomach.

‘The words and the scene stayed with me all day while I did various jobs. Later I sat down to write, and “Countdown” emerged virtually fully formed on the page in front of me. I still wonder what miracle Antonio was asking for. I hope it happens.’

 

Poem: Countdown