Puriri Moth Dreaming

by Piet Nieuwland

puriri moth dreaming
under a midnight moon

on ridgelines of obsidian
hangs the emerald cloth of spring

from te moananui a ranginui
floats a rainbow by moonlight

in this sacred night
clouds of kowhai in rivers of stars

the desires of our hearts
are moonbeams of puawhananga

at the dawn moon
a piwakawaka throws jewels of waiata

in the chaos of love
love is chaos dressed in kisses

*   *   * 

This poem is posted as part of the Aotearoa Affair Blog Carnival. It was written during a short stay at Opononi on the shores of the Hokianga Harbour, a singularly romantic place.  The puriri moth is a large black and green moth with characteristic patterns on its wings.  The moon was rising, a full moon.  The dreamtime is a spiritual connection to my ancestry, and the Hokianga has inspired that in me as a human living in Northland.  The poetry I write frequently comes from the places of Northland, and has been doing so for the last thirty years, although there is usually a connection to another part of the world or another culture.   Most of my poetry is love poetry but it is often disguised.  I love to play with the many varieties of language and what is revealed in translation from other cultures.   

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