Open Poetry #38 |
The Taramoukou ("God's Own Country" ) |
poettothecars Senior Member
since 2006-02-10
Posts 1093New Zealand |
"God's Own Country" [this poem below was penned in the building inside this photograph © 2006 Christopher W Herbert (and I made the fences too) 44 The Taramoukou 15 February 1996 All alone with no one around next to forest the state owns The Taramoukou a mile from anywhere No schools or shops no electricity to share but a building all the same forever known as the whare A small shack, over the back boards cut by hand pit sawn for a purpose for all seasons A roof over my head bunks for a bed Who said Jesus was dead for I was not alone GLOSSARY: TARAMOUKOU: the name given to this State [Government] owned Rain Forest (reserve) of native trees unique to New Zealand; (word in Maori Language) WHARE: New Zealand Maori Language word for: “ house or hut” PIT SAWN: term used in reference to timber boards cut out of a tree by two person handsaw. With one person on top of the log and the second person underneath in a purposeful dug pit (or ditch). [In this case the indent in the ground can still be seen all these years later. When two teenage boys, in 1945, under the supervision of their Father, felled a large NZ natural timber tree (a Totara) and cut each board of timber out by hand. The corrugated iron for the roof, they carried over land for around 3 miles in the form of a stretcher arrangement. ] “OVER THE BACK”: reference made to being located on the far side of the property (farm, or estate) from the homestead. As for this place of enchantment and the building of which inside this above works was originally composed - the photograph above I call "God's Own Country" While a copy of the above words also feature in being pinned to the wall of the Whare (hut) © 2006 Christopher W Herbert (a New Zealand Poet) a poet who cares [This message has been edited by poettothecars (05-22-2006 04:48 AM).] |
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© Copyright 2006 Christopher W Herbert - All Rights Reserved | |||
SEA
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
is this on your dad's farm? It's so beautiful there! You are lucky to live is such an amazing place. |
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