The Kahawai(KahawaikɑːhəˌWaɪ) Poem by Ann Beard

The kahawai when dragged from the water
Is left on the beach to die
A child is distressed by its threshing tail
The fishermen turn a blind eye.

As though bound in grief, clouds gathering weep
then blend to embrace an incoming soul.
The result is a heavenly luminous arc
salute to the life fate had wantonly stole.

Our child is excited, eyes drawn to the sky.
The rainbow, a timely and artful disguise
However a child will forever connect,
Its vibrant colours to when a fish died

The fishermen cast out, again and again
the bait is ignored, no fish dragged ashore,
with light hearted banter, the lines are drawn in
A sleepy child hunts for the jumper she wore.

Where did it go, the beautiful rainbow
she asked of her father again and again.
It fell to the ocean my sweet he replied
a night-light for fishes, he tries to explain.

The hunters are tired, the ocean serene
An uneasy hush settles over the shore
Time to stroll back over dunes of fine sand
retracing the steps taken often before


June 2014