The Depths

The Depths

The depths of the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer
Are vast and mysterious and inaccessible to humans

Though cavers on the edge, see the trails of multitudes
Of tiny creatures cleaning the depths, and creating 

The stunningly clear waters of Waikoropupū Springs –
& there are nights I muse on each faithful creature working

In the heart of the depths, while we humans sleep
& my mind drifts to the woman who’s lost her beloved coin

& the way she ransacks her house ’til she finds it
In the bottomless power of human awareness, where it’s

Always waiting to be found – & I love the way the Teacher
Commends the woman’s diligence – & I’m grateful the green

Legal teams were stacked with vigilant women who took
The fight to the blue side and utterly routed them in the battle

To protect the depths of the aquifer; which are the beating
Heart of Mohua; and a priceless treasure and pearl

~
‘Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer:’ the word ‘Wharepapa’ connects the Water Conservation Order with the Arthur Range in Kahurangi National Park which is sacred to the Māori people.

‘Tiny creatures:’ the vast host of stygofauna who live in the aquifer and assist in its cleaning.

‘The woman who lost her beloved coin:’ there are many wisdom stories about a person losing; a treasure, pearl, or in this case a coin. It’s the story of a quest; something precious is lost and needs to be found. I love the story in Luke’s Gospel 15:1-3, 8-10 where the Teacher praises a woman who has 10 silver coins, one of which she has lost. She goes on a spiritual/psychological quest ‘in the bottomless power of human awareness’ and eventually finds what’s lost.

‘The green… & blue… legal teams:’ informal lawyer chat. Green teams argue to protect the natural world while well-paid blue teams argue to protect peoples ‘right’ to compromise the natural world.

‘Utterly routed them in the battle to protect the depths of the aquifer:’ one of the early arguments of the blue team (The lawyers for the farmers and Tasman District Council) was that only Te Waikoropupū Springs needed to be protected; not the aquifer. Of course, this is errant nonsense; clearly, the whole water system needs protection: as the Māori people put it; ‘ki uta ke tai,’ from the mountains to the sea.