10. The cost of knowledge

The casket lay open with his small, frail and naked body
laid out showing his vulnerability in death
But, as I moved forward his eyes slowly opened
his arms unfurled and his long fingers reached for my ring

What did the dead require in return for knowledge?
The cost was life - was mauri, enabling him
to be strong and invincible once again

But in no way would I give human life or human mauri
What I gave was the mauri or essence of love, of aroha
Mauri I could grow and replenish over and over again

I walked past seeing a beautiful
black dog cut down in the street
I called out to her making her rise once again
Her protective mate standing over her
demanded to know what I wanted in return
Just knowledge - just knowledge

The darkness enveloped me and shadows
from the essence of the night itself
stood silently waiting for me to ask, and to pay a price
Beautiful creatures of cunning and deceit
also came revealing a score of men and women
now bound by a transaction made with the dark

It is now that I realise knowledge had a price
that the dead revealed truth
that animals communicated
and the darkness itself once gave answers
but all at a cost - all at a price