Sun, Wind And Shadows Poem by Helen Gaudin

From the sou- west Tonga-ma-uru danced in
Bringing the sea's coolth in his train
Curling around me like a friendly cat
He wound his way into my aura
A cool caress across my sun heated skin
Taking away the fieriness of Tama-nui-te-ra
A burning heat that fired embers in my blood
Creating a molten lava flowing inside me
Ignited by the fierce sun
I had struggled under the burden
As I walked into the end of the day

Tonga-ma-uru wrapped himself around me
A diaphanous scarf of cool air
Flowing across my limbs
Creating an invisible barrier
Between me and Tama-nui-te-ra's heat
I gratefully accepted the playful coolness
But Tama-nui-te-ra had chosen me to burn
And the heat flowed from beneath my feet
Grasping at my ankles and rising up
Digging its way inside

As I turned toward the south
Tonga-ma-uru spun off towards the west
Wrapping a last caress across my face and arms
As he left I felt the burn of Tama-nui-te-ra
Fire licking along the arm caressed by Tonga-ma-uru
Sweat dripped down from my head
My journey was almost at an end
But I carried the weight of Tama-nui-te-ra
Heat a burden upon my shoulders
And I drooped under the weight of the burning sun

As Tonga-ma-uru danced back across my skin
I raised my head to see shadows before me
As large trees laid down their shapes upon the ground
In their shadows the air was cool
Tama-nui-te-ra could not grasp me under the shadow of the trees
And like a mouse I used the protection of the trees
To reach my home and quiet coolness away from the sun
As I shut the door Tama-nui-te-ra looked for another to burn.