Friday, January 20, 2006

Hone Tuwhare - New Zealand Poet

Just home from Nederlands class and in a dark mood, wondering if I didn't enjoy class today simply because yesterday I had said I was glad I was doing it. I made myself a pot of tea and began wandering through some of the blogsites I enjoy visiting.
First stop, Harvey Molloy and he mentioned the fact that my favourite New Zealand poet has his own website. I have searched for Hone Tuwhare's poetry online so many times .... I left 300 books in various hands when I flew out for Istanbul, never dreaming I would have so much trouble finding a favourite poem like 'Rain' online. And there it was an extract on Hone's front page Hone Tuwhare

News that can surely turn a grouchy woman's day around. Thanks Harvey.
Here's the entire poem:

Rain
I can hear you
making small holes
in the silence
rain

If I were deaf
the pores of my skin
would open to you
and shut

And I
should know you
by the lick of you
if I were blind

the something
special smell of you
when the sun cakes
the ground

the steady
drum-roll sound
you make
when the wind drops

But if I
should not hear
smell or feel or see
you

you would still
define me
disperse me
wash over me
rain


Hone Tuwhare

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