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Maree Scarlett
New Zealand

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untitled sculpture - Shane Eggleton
Maree Scarlett was born in New Zealand and has written, performed and recited both  poetry and spoken word all over the world. She has arranged, produced and directed recitals for Montana Poetry Day, Corbans Estate wine cellar and the Devonport Depot Artspace. Maree has also written live music reviews in Ireland and she has been a book reviewer. She has done voice over for radio and was the voice of campaigns such as the Big Day Out, Ronnie Size and Soundz, to name a few. She has recorded voice samples for people such as Jeff Scantlebury of the Brand New Heavies, Chaka Chan and Joss Stone et al.  She has recited on radio several times and has been interviewed in Pavement magazine and various other publications and magazines. Maree has appeared in short films, one which featured her performing poetry in a Freemason Temple. This film was shown as part of Auckland Arts Festival 05 and was presented on a large screen in Aotea Square. She has a BA with a major in philosophy and a minor in gender studies and in 2010 Maree has accepted an offer to participate in a graduate diploma in psychotherapy. Maree enjoys theatrical training and is a presenter at the flea radio station on 88.2fm.
A Mocking Bird Reflects

( for Keisha)


Named and spoken about, we did not
         hold resentment dearly
to our wounded hearts, we undid the
             makeshift sutures holding
our minds and bodies together. We
          set about healing pain
beneath our spoilt, tattered tourniquets
           and listened when Life called,
speaking to us beneath our mind-wars,
            telling us, to live it.

We allowed wonderment to shine, through
            our days and nights, freely
in flower petal blessings and smell
            of soil, in solid earth
our enchanted noses smelt  heaven's
           choir, in floral garments
proceeding to tickle tiny nose hairs
           earnestly living in
attendance to verve, as Life sees fit
            in experience.

Our hearts remembered to remember,
          to play freely in joy
and moxie presented us well with tears
          sometimes in dark, chaotic seas,
opportunities and rituals of age
          arose in painful times,
mocking us as we stood on the shore
          of our wavering faith
in spirit, being a breathing cadence,
          a changing tonal mood.

The symphonic poem changes hues,
           and I’m older than you
are right now, and although this is so,
           we both move from minor
keys that haunt us with lonely mocking,
         and they become a song
we sing in the light, of amazement
           that we did not forget
the importance of our childhood fairies
           and major key changes.






‘Years ago I was told, years ago I remember, years ago I remember being told’.


years ago warriors stood here watching the sea.
children of the mist swam in mythical stories
recited from lips, telling what was told
in rhythm meter and timed
rhyme spoken word
mimicked and mimed
often in a child’s day

every community has its told and retold.

now stories are narrated by
telephone or over coffee in a café by
people talking, talking people
time has not taken
The Spoken about
from tongues, of the village
The Spoken pass

by daily on streets walking.
every town has its spoken
stories, and The Spoken still take
their tracks sometimes
we imagine and wonder
at their lives and would perhaps
notice if they left