Tu Meke (So Much)

This poem amidst both a break up and a bushfire crisis engulfing my country. I felt so full of grief and loss but I needed to capture those moments of love. CW self harm mention

Tu Meke

 

You held that baby,

Shoulders strong

Waga-nha bali waga-nha bali

You danced with his legs

And ate up his nose

With a smile that bled sunlight

And a laugh that escaped

Up the lonely mountain

Tinged with dark water

That lay beneath silver falls

Drunk with dark ferns and lone birdsong

 

The ghosts offered no voice to either of us

Their silence filled our hearts with tears

That flowed into lavender soaked baths

And baby soaked chairs.

Ngurrbul ngurrbul ngurrbul

The blade kissed me

In soft morning light

And under quiet stars

That rang out and hid

Under bathrobes

 

My heart broke softly

It flowed out smoothly in the hush

From lips and deep breaths

Already distant from rose-scented stories

Yambaldhaany

We flew through thick haze

As the red sun watched us

I sung your absence

And through the soft plucking of strings

I heard you flee the embrace of us

 

Was I tu meke?

You bury your head in my skin

Consuming me deeply before

Ngindhu guyungan-nhi

You leave

Yananha yananha

 

I placed your spells in a wooden box

Your hair tie by my gulamon

My skin sings you like a violent hum

The strings pull sharply

Unclenching the knot

Burning

In the deep insides of my belly

It cries out your name

Cracking into songs that

Crescendo to your rhythm

Just like the many times

I gave my tides to you

Aroha nui

 

Translation

Waga-nha: dance now

Bali: baby

Ngurrbul: love, intimacy, closeness both amorous and friendship

Tu Meke: so much

Ngindhu guyunhan-nhi: you away from me go

Yananha: walk/go

Yambaldhaany: liar/bullshitter 

Gulamon: carrying vessel

Aroha nui: Much love

Author's Note

I use a mix of English, Wiradjuri and Maori throughout this piece. I've been experimenting with adding more Wiradjuri language to my poetry so let me know if the format doesn't work.

Reviews

[Kerra]

Wow, this is very good and quite interesting