41. Waka Wairua

It was a warm afternoon and I found myself steering a waka (canoe) in a fast flowing inlet where the river meets the ocean with a Māori woman on board as our navigator and several other people as well. Everyone sang uplifting waiata (songs) to gain the attention of those on land. As we moved through the water I noticed faceless people and other entities standing at jetties waiting to get onboard and then it struck me that as the steerer - these people were our passengers.

I looked at my own task as steerer and noticed my rudder was made of dark wood and was fashioned like a chicken wing extending into 3 parts to a sharp point at the end. Once fully extended it could be dug deep into the riverbed to push off, turning it the other way and stabbing it into the riverbed would make the waka stop against the current.

Folding it into two and left in the water acted like a proper rudder to maneuveur the waka or to create drag to slow it down, and folding it into one piece enabled it to be used like an oar for better maneuveuring or lifting it completely out to go fast.

I eventually realised the role of the Gatekeeper of the East or Kaitiaki of the East - in one respect, is to steer the waka wairua or waka of all the spirits which come to the whenua (land) each day from the East, and who must be called back onboard the waka towards the evening as it leaves to go into the West.  Those spirits or energies who deliver all of God's gifts through us each and every day.

* Waka wairua (Waka of Spirits)

40. The children of the gods

Laying his head down on my chest
with longing and intent deep in his eyes
He yearns once again for the touch of his mother
last felt eight times a thousand, years, ago

But his gaze doesn't fall upon my own face
nor is the longing or yearning for me
It's for his mother who lies by my side
whose spirit lies dormant as she sleeps, as she slumbers

My partner - a male
continues to sleep
as the children of Isis
draw close, draw near

Anubis the jackal still lies on my chest
but his hazel brown eyes are fixed on his mother
Sobek is here, a shy timid croc
and so too is Apis, the bull in the corner

For the time being, until she awakes
I will give comfort, I will give love
I scratch under chins, I rub under bellies
and blow warm sweet kisses into hair and to bristles

If she is Isis who lay with Osiris
then I'll be her sister and aunty to these
I will take care of the children for now
Until their own mother can love them once more

39. Eyes of an owl

Large round eyes peer unblinkingly
As I wonder what message is brought in the night
A bird of the dark most often brings
a message of sadness at least just to me

And sure enough, the periphery widens
and a silhouette comes of a lonely figure
of one who is walking ahead in the dark
with one single street light showing the way

No more than 30 and the build of a man
that would turn heads in the street
as well as the changing room
But dimly lit is his path ahead
filling him slightly with trepidation

I call to him, I run to him, I surround him with love
He goes on, ignoring me - not even to face me
This challenge is his, to face albeit alone
with courage and acceptance fueling him on

Then my last final attempt is to brighten his World
to walk out of the Darkness and into the Light
The scenery changes from dimly lit streets
to pastures and meadows with green and gold grasses
He now turns to face me, with a beautiful smile
and waves as he turns back, to run down, a new lane..