for natalia saegusa, myles richardson, anne moulin, richard middleton
mauria mai ngā parekawakawa
ngā tītoko o te rangi, whakawhiti o te rā, whakaaio whenua
hoki wairua mai, hoki wairua mai
moe mai rā e
ahakoa kua ngaro koutou ki to pō
kia whakatata mai ki a mātou
hei ārahi i ou mātou wairua
ka tū tonu te aroha, tū tonu e
i raro i korowai o hinenuitepō
kia tau te rangimārie
e kore e mutu te tangi
e kore e mōnehunehu te pūmahara e
haere atu rā ki ngā tīpuna
ki te whare ō ngā atua
ka kohi whakamahara te hunga ora
ka rere te hunga mate ki tua o te ārai i te pō e
—
Isla Huia (Te Āti Haunui a-Pāpārangi, Uenuku) is a te reo Māori teacher, writer and musician. This poem is from her debut collection, Talia (Dead Bird Books, 2023), which was shortlisted in the 2024 Ockham NZ Book Awards.
Artwork by Natalia Saegusa. Photo by Naomi Haussmann.
