64. Gatekeepers

At the front of the class she laughs and she smiles
inspiring her students as they go through their lessons
and into the evening she waters her garden
and caresses the petals of beautiful flowers

Another one smokes as she kneads the paraoa
but mindful of mokos about her own feet
and as all the manu come back to the trees
she'll run a hot bath and set in for the evening

A young guy sits, a top a beer crate
and tunes his guitar while talking with mates
But as light recedes and his eye sight grows dim
he reckons it's time that he called it a night

As they sleep, as they slumber, as the snore, as they talk
their spirits awaken and take up their charge
To the east, to the west, to the north, or the south
they take their positions to protect and to guard

They let in the Light or bring about Dark
they inspire creation in sound or in dance
They convey the new souls to expectant mums
or carry the mournful to peace or to rest

All of these duties are not without danger
unmentionable forces also at work
But with their stout hearts they will stand and defend
wielding God's power right to the end

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