104. Beacon of Night

Walking along a sealed country road
and further ahead to Miringa Te Kakara
two plumes of smoke come down from the sky
touching the ground where the old whare stood

I sense a third plume is missing from view
and immediately see it form in the sky
I lift up my hand and attract it's attention
where it flies at me quickly hitting the ground

It forms a straight pathway of which I must follow
leading me now to a stream running by
and in it I step and cleanse myself well
before I step onto old hallowed ground

I stand at the entrance of the old, sacred school
performing my kaupare as I slowly move
my breath comes in gasps and my stomach now fills
so I stop and I wait till the energy changes

Around the foundations I now slowly walk
observing its layout and what it all meant
pinpointing axis from pous now long gone
and stones made of limestone like Solomon's Temple

I sit in the East facing out to the West
seeing the Sun rapidly set
but before it descends right out of sight
a second one rises beyond our own night

I'm called to the West and sit by it's pou
closing my eyes as the Light starts to dim
and beside me I hear and feel people moving
invoking emotions and tears from inside me

Well high above me stars now appear
naturally moving, from right then to left
but curiously there is one that is travelling
from north, then to east, then onto the South?!

Elemental beings of the Sky start to notice
the presence of others at one of their shrines
It heralds in, another great step
reforging relations with the divine...


*Miringa Te Kakara (Star House/Temple)
*Whare (House)
*Kaupare (Prayer)
*Pou (Carved post)

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