This is another book I bought from New Zealand. I tried to google it's cover, unfortunately there's no result. Anyway, it's not really a very nice cover. It's just a watercolor painting of an old Maori man called Rangi Topeora by Gottfried Lindauer, which looks like this...
This anthology of ancient Maori poetry is carefully chosen by David Simmons and Merimeri Penfold and translated into English. There are 61 beautiful poems and songs. My favorite is this one...
He Waiata
How great are the tears flowing like a river
I make believe that I am a bird
And land far away I am a bird
And land far away at Okehu
With my loved one there I turn towards the house
Utterly alone and remember
It is my fame which is talked about
I waste my liking in the house
My man has been given over to death
And I see what Te Marea has done.
This song is in one of the manuscripts written by Te Rangikaheke of Ngati Rangiwewehi for Sir George Grey. It is a lament for a loved one, composed by a woman who refers to his death as the work of Te Marea.
Anyway, this is not my only favorite, but I can't possibly list everything. There's nothing to review about, other than you yourself should read it. You'll be floating in your own imagination as your eyes follow every line of the poems. I really appreciate it that every poem has its own explanation in the end. Therefore, you'll understand them in depth.
2 scribbles:
Like the Maori photo very much and the poem was interesting. I like the part where he writes "like a bird", interesting. :)
Rangitopeora is a woman, not a man. You can read her biography on the New Zealand Dictionary of Biography website. Kia ora from New Zealand.
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