Kelvin Road School Senior Poetry Recital Winner

Year 7 and 8 Winner

Sad Joke On A Marae

Sad joke on a marae – Apairana Taylor 

Performed by Tyrhys - Room 3

Tihei Mauriora I called 

Kepe Paikea Te Kooti 

Rewi and Te Rauparaha 

I saw them 

grim death and wooden ghosts 

carved on the meeting house wall 

In the only Maori I knew 

I called 

Tihei Mauriora 

Above me the tekoteko raged 

He ripped his tongue from his mouth 

And threw it at my feet 

Then I spoke 

My name is Tu the freezing worker 

Ngati D.B. is my tribe 

The pub is my marae 

My fist is my taiaha 

Jail is my home 

Tihei Mauriora I cried 

They understood 

The tekoteko and the ghosts 

Though I said nothing but 

Tihei Mauriora 

For that’s all I knew