tohunga
toa
te reo true
korero
wai
the heron flew
the bearded bard
spoke prayer or hymn
and onward to Jerusalem
some made the trek
five to a car
incense, myrrh – kissed his arse
hung from his word
such reverence
a reading by his eminence
the sad waiata
the long lament
leave poor old Jim to rest my friend
tohunga
toa
te reo true
let truth
be told
from me to you
©Orion Foote, 2016
Cheers Dean – I try to keep up with Kiwi poetry as much as i can, but always love returning to Baxter.
hi orion: ‘5 to a car’ is the evocative line to me…up the dusty Whanganui River road