In praise of Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke

(a poem for my daughter)

And today, Hana-Rawhiti rose –

more than stood – she rose

like Nafanua, goddess of war

like Hine-nui-te-po, goddess of death

like the wahine toa who is exactly like herself

She rose from that place full of insects

and she tore that white bill –

white as the whites of her eyes

staring down the hulking enemy on the battlefield

She tore that white bill right through the backbone

tore it into two and she held it

one in each fist

like the two flags of war

like the twin battle-clubs only the war goddess holds

and she shook them in the faces of those

enemies with hearts as empty as their faces –

faces white as their insides and red as their outsides

their empty red mouths

and their empty white guts

and she cried the cry that brought more cries

from those who sounded through her

down from the heavens

and down from those who stood above her

on earth as it is in the place

our tupuna and our tupuaga stand

She cried the cries of all those who came before her

and will come after her.

And that is you, Sepela –

that is you too, my daughter

so, watch closely

this woman who leads the battle cry

these are the songs you are learning to make

the battle dance you are learning to dance

watch closely this wahine toa

this is the wahine toa

you are also learning to be.