Paekākā i te Pō I

Kua taka te pō
Tū tonu ana ngā rākau
He ara atarau 
E hora ake mai nei

Te Ara Mamaku
E huna ai i ngā tini whetū
Anō nei Te Mangōroa
Anō nei he ikarangi kē
Ngunungunu ai 
I ngā pakiaka huhua

Rikoriko mai
Whakahīnātore mai
Titia mai
Kātahi te whakaohomauri
Pai nei!

E ngā whetū rikiriki waiwaiā
E ngā Titiwai, tēnā koutou!

Paekākā i te Pō | Paekākā at Night II

Night descends
Its trees rising upright and constant
A moonlit way
Unfolding forwards 

The mamaku-lined path
Hides a multitude of stars
It’s as if the Milky Way—
And other galaxies too—
Are snuggled in
To a universe of roots

Little glistening drops of water
Tiny wee stars:
Twinkle, glitter, glow and shine forth!

Little wee glowworms:
Hello
What a wonderful surprise you are!

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Hana Buchanan (Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika) is a member of Te Aro Pā Poets, living and writing on her tupuna whenua in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Toitū te kupu. Toitū te whenua.