The Friday Poem: ‘Matairangi Ka mua Ka muri’ by Hana Buchanan

A new poem by Te Aro Pā poet Hana Buchanan.

Matairangi Ka mua Ka muri

for my friend Philip O’Leary 1970 – 2023

Ka mua, ka muri
Walking backwards into the future

Have you ever tried it?
Walking backwards I mean

Try it!

After hours and days and years and decades even
of walking forwards, forwards, forwards

Can you imagine
The relief
The pure surprising bliss
of walking backwards?

At the edge of our harbour

I turn my back to the wind

I walk backwards into the future

I see the edges of the coast receding

I see the remnants of Ngake’s explosive escape

scattered through the waters

A sharp reminder of possibilities beyond confines

I walk backwards into the future
I see the edges of the coast receding
Further and further from view
It’s like a slow-motion movie replay
This is really quite relaxing
It’s like a slow-motion movie replay
Receding while advancing

I see Matairangi
He mata-i-te-rangi
I see Hātaitai
Ka tangi te ngākau mōna
I sense Tangi te Keo
A final karanga lingers in the air

I see where I’ve been
I see where they’ve been
I sense where we’ve been

My back is supported by the wind
Steps more careful, more considered now
I sense a bend is coming
The harbour waters lap and roll

Ka mua, ka muri
I am moving forwards
With my face to what has been
The wind is at my back
The wind will be my wings

The Friday Poem is edited by Chris Tse. Submissions are currently closed.