hā pīwakawaka
kua hoki mai koe anō.
ki taku kāinga.

he aha te kaupapa
o tō kōrero roa
tēnei wā?

kāore ahau he mōhio tonu!

e rongo ana ahau i a koe.
e kite ana ahau i a koe.
engari, kei te ngaro ahau
tō karere.

hā pīwakawaka,
kaua e mutu
tō waiata.

kaua e tuku koe
tō kōrero ki ahau;
he tāne me ngā taringa maitai,
engari me he ngākau,
he roro,
he tinana—
ka hiahia katoa
kia rongo koe,
mō āke tonu.

Translation: the return of the fantail

hey fantail
you have returned again.
to my home.
what is the subject of
your long speech
this time?
I still don’t know.
I hear you.
I see you.
but I am lost
about your message.
hey fantail,
don’t stop
your song.
don’t give up
your speech to me;
a man with deaf ears,
but with a heart,
a brain,
a body—
all want
to experience you
forever.

hā pīwakawaka
kei whea koe ināianei
taku hoa iti?

he manu ki he waha rōreka
he whaikōrero pēnei i he waiata,
te taima katoa

he aha tāu kōrero e hoa?
he aha te tikanga
o tēnei kōwetewete karawhiti?

kāore ahau he mōhio
nō te mea kua nunumi kē koe
ki tētahi atu he wāhi

kāore ahau he kite i tāu whatu kanapa
kāore ahau he rongo i tāu pūrākau roa,
kua ngaro koe ināianei
me kei te ngere ahau i a koe.

hā pīwakawaka
kei whea koe ināianei?

*

Translation:

Hey fantail, where are you now, my little friend?
A bird with a dulcet voice; an oratory like a song, all the time.
What is your story, friend? What is the meaning of this one-sided conversation?
I do not know, because you have already disappeared to another place.
I cannot see your glistening eyes. I cannot hear your long tale.
You are lost now, and I am missing you.
Hey fantail, where are you now?

the sun has rung in sick
this morning;
won’t be around today.

its nemesis has blown in
instead,
refuting the rules and roles
of canicule.

shitty sheets of rain
rebuke travelling outside,
ignore the fact
warmth & welcome
were supposed to
report for work.

it is climate change
in reverse,
summer running awol
& winter
out of season.

two upturned umbrellas
dying on the driveway
the symbol of
this existential antipode.