52. Daughter of the Ocean

Deep in a dream she visited me
so I sat with the others, down at her feet
Descended from Tangaroa and daughter was she
of Rakataura from the Tainui canoe

Over all does she reign who dwell in the Sea
whether fish, whether taniwha, coral or whale
and here was this woman imparting to me
the story of Waikanae, while I was on leave

There are Waikanae many all over the World
all over the country as well this coast
but this single name links them together
a singular fountain of info and story

This is the place, of "bleeding hearts"
of where the forlorn come to be cured
and where all the healers come near and afar
and offer their love, their hearts and their prayers

This is where journeys end and begin
where waka set sail and people come in
A singular hub on the Wellington coast
for seafarers from the mighty Pacific

It's also the place where spirits were banished
out into the depths of our darkest oceans
Wiremu Ratana sending them there
due to their obstinance and unfounded fears

She takes us all down to the Waikanae shore
but I fear to tread out onto the sand
As I stand on the grass I see weather bombs
black menacing clouds, lightening striking the water

And out of the depths come dark lonely figures
one noticing me and moving towards me
"Get back in that water" I hear myself say
and see it move backwards, out into the wake

A powerful lesson learnt on this day
of the history and meaning in the name of this bay
Of what to look out for before setting sail
of healing or dispelling souls and their pain

51. The Milky Way

I enter the water out into the deep
and a killer whale comes crossing my wake
up alongside me a pilot whale smiles
and nudges me on into turbulent water

Tumbling and falling down into the dark
I find myself swimming an underground tunnel
The cavern is dark cept for small holes above
and piercing bright light shines down apon me

Under an old temple I find myself swimming
and become overwhelmed with frightening fear
A karakia comes from my heart and my lips
and then the words 'Kill him' from out of the dark

With panic and fear I swim along further
being pursued by men close behind me
Climbing out of a well they reach and they grab
but on reaching the top I kick them back down

I take in the Light and take in the view
a Pyramid of gold have I just swum beneath
In an ancient, old city now do I stand
surrounded by desert and palm trees of green

I completed a test laid down long ago
inherent within my blood and my bones
Like the Hebrews who swam the perilous Nile
or Māori traversing our very own Sky

Each part of the river or our own galaxy
corresponded to parts of the spiritual self
With each test completed - another part opened
enabling students to go further on...

50. Angels in Chains

His deformed face comes into view
escorting me along the prison cell floors
His body labours struggling to move
but we eventually come to a cold, lonely cell

He opens the door and there lying spread
Is a brutishly handsome and muscley guy
Hands cuffed in irons along with his feet
and a black ribbon bellows, tied to the wall

I find myself close with my foot almost touching
but recoil back as he glances at me
A smile creeps over his face as he speaks
"This will be harder than what we had thought"

He's a Chained Angel, in bondage from God
awaiting a vessel to give up his life
where all it would take to set the man free
is a touch of release and great sympathy

But at that right moment 'She' pulls us right back
and shows me the dangers of an innocent heart
Of one which exists without God, without Grace
an aimless type vehicle, wandering into the dark

And just in time has this lesson been learnt
as the shadows increased and crept t'wards my own bed
Some seeking help, some seeking love
and blindly and openly were all their calls felt

But now as I tire and just before sleep
"In God's name" do I hear, coming from my own mouth
I thank him for darkness and thank him for light
and give thanks for the World and the Universe too

But most of all, as goblins appear
as men come and stab me and as women cheer
I ask for protection and to banish the dark
to reinstate love from his own divine spark

49. Grand Old Dame

Her back's turned to me as I look on from afar
with one of her mokos who hangs off her leg
She turns to face me but does nothing else
just watching me, surveying me, sussing me out

She's a large, big, black spider at least two meters long
with glistening eyes and glistening hairs
An hourglass figure with a regal behind
reminds me of Ladies in Victorian times

She now stands in front and tests me somemore 
one single long leg, pawing the ground
But I stand and I wait, with nothing to fear
but ambivalent about what her visit may mean

She rears up in the air and starts moving her arms
spining and weaving invisible thread
Above me I look and see cords spiraling down
and through them the Universe passes me by

I travel and hurtle through outer space
with stars and nebulas dotted around
She continues to weave and continues to spin
even while spiraling back down to the ground

This Lady of Old interests me now
outside of space and outside of time
as I continue to ponder on who she might be
I wake with a smile and quiet energy

48. Wisdom

Long blonde hair tied back in a bun
the Lady turned and smiled at me
but her mouth was filled with jagged shards
of amethyst to chew my soul

A new direction it would appear
was to cleanse and purify my being
removing and shedding all my guides
and moving to a brand new plane

St Germain with his Violet flame
Kahukura in a purple cloud
and this Lady here with jagged teeth
with the gift of purity and inner wisdom

The Mother Goddess was there as well
cloaked from head to toe in blue
and calmly and reassuringly
takes us both - hand in hand

Weeks weeks later I'm resolute
but begin to cry and shriek and wail
as I strip myself of all the comforts
that Wolves and Angels have given me

At the water's edge I quietly sob
as I sprinkle water over my head
but there beside me floating now
a small twig - a taniwha bobs along

The fear, the anger and all the pain
now subsides and washes away
I get to my feet and stumble along
and notice a plague with the Lake's name

Matahina to see into the dark or
to see the grey areas in all that's around me
Hina's the moon watching over the night
and sister to Papatuanuku

I look to the sky and the Sun still shines
and a white kahu or hawk flies by
and as I sniff and wipe my last tear
I feel the grace of women near...

47. Set free

Men wearing bush shirts slump down where they stand
exhausted and dirty from hunting all day
I walk all amongst the animals slain
and see blood splattered walls and the bodies of Moose

Down a long corridor I see more and more
and finally stopped by one on the floor
His body still shivers, his antlers still move
and he looks up at me with life still in his eyes

But there's pain, and there's anguish without any words
and I'm drawn to him closer - reaching down with my hand

I touch his sweet face and rest on his head
and release the last vestiges of life that he had
I pull myself up to see him now lie
rested and peaceful and away from this World

46. Healing hands

Running through scrub and out onto footpaths
I'm taking shortcuts and avoiding pursuit
Men fuelled by anger, by darkness and more
covet my footsteps - chasing me now

They stop to rest and take in the surroundings
leaning on bushes, on trees and on logs
"He" takes my hand and places it down
on a log which is touching all that they see

The spirit that heals reaches them now
and lays them down permanently amongst all the trees
cause hands that can heal, can also defend
but my heart is now startled by such a sad end...