'A Thousand Tears'

by Mark Lester

Plyboard, Acrylic 1200×1200

A Millenia ago
Kupe arrived
With his bride,
Kuramarotine
and his Taniwha
to Aotearoa
Te Hokianga-nui-a-Kupe
Then he sailed away back to Hawaiiki,
and his wife Kuramarotine,
in the form of a Puriri Tree,
on top of  te maunga Whakarongorua,
waited patiently for his return,
and cried a thousand tears year after year
Waiting for Kupe to return to her
As the Great Eagles of the air
rested to comfort and care
POUAKAI….. HOKIOI
was their cry.