Ancestors

Ancestors

Parliament’s steps sprout green and red mushrooms
As we ferry the petition upwards into the wild Pōneke storm

And the petition is the people and we are the people
And servanthood the rising path beneath our feet

For we serve the hallowed waters of Aōtearoa, especially
The tapu waters of Te Waikoropupū Springs gushing from

The darkness of the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer
So, the petition becomes an upwelling of resurgent clarity

Where the ancestors ascend to join us, from North and South
East and West, assembling on the steps of Parliament

Which is captive to the coalition of malice, greed and racism
And we stand in an ever-widening circle of speeches

As green and red politicians hurry to join us, though
I’m distracted by the muttered te reo of the old ones

Who know the deceit of the dark coalition and how close
We are to the abyss because they’ve seen it all before

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Pōneke; Wellington area