Kāpiti poet Gill Ward’s provides  ‘Advice for running away’ in our latest Poem of the Week. Here’s the poem…

Advice for running away

The plan would be to decide
to decide if you are sure
if you want to go, need to,
sureness is the issue
and then what to leave,
what to take, what to miss,
what will not be missed
what you want, what you need
want is as important as need
want is what you will miss
what you need is there waiting
for you. Lists are not part
of the going. Lists are for those
who stay.
One bag to sling for a week,
one carry-on for two weeks
and you know already,
you have done it, that
you can travel for two months
with one suitcase.
But this is not about three t shirts
and two pairs of jeans and one lipstick.
This is about a life, a long one,
left behind.
How big would that bag be

Young woman, old woman

be very sure.