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How roused in anger now my spirit feels
To mine own grandchildren, who wilfully
Would drag me on in evil still!
In days long past my legs belied their power,
And trembled even then in youth and might;
But now old age has come on me,
And brought decay of life in all its forms,
I must depart, and go to spirit-world below.
But, Pehi-rehu, speak, and tell the fame
Of feasts of plenty often held in days long gone,
That I may hear, as with the ears of fledgling bird,
And then go on the road that leads to Mawete,
As on that path thy ancestor, called Hika-tamure,
Went in his last long visit to Uranga-o-te-ra,
And Nuku-tau-rere, and Kaha-o-waru-maru-
To visit Taua-ki-te-marangai,
And from him sacred chants obtain,
To give revenge its deadly power to glut itself in war.
And then we will go back, and see the frothy wave
That dashes over Rewa-tu,
We had to hide on mountain-range,
And then could hear the voice of gull far, far below
On ocean-beach, and knew that they alone did represent
The tribe of men who held the riven home and land;
And we could see the swiftly-darting gannet,
Birds of thine own ancestor, Kahu-paea.
Ah me! But Parepare is, as ever, Parepare still;
And Rua-te-mahu is as Rua-te-mahu still;
And Tau-te-pawa is as Tau-te-pawa was;
And all are still a dread to every tribe and home.
But Uru-kehu's ire is roused,
And, with his war-weapon uplifted high in air,
He smites his chest with calm, indignant rage.
And Rua-tapiki confronts his evil destiny,
As, with his knowledge of his guilt, he drove me
Friendless, foodless, to the mountain-peak,
Where oft I met Marama-taka, the chief
Who fed and nurtured all the tribes of Hau-raki,
I now will leave and rest myself on Tonga-riro,
While Rua-pehu utters loud, discordant sighs of woe,
And Pari-te-tai-tonga thrills my feeble knees
With weakening pain, and, though I chant a song,
My life is cut in twain, and heart is dead.
And now I feel deep wrinkles on my skin:
Maybe these are the beauty-marks to bear
While passing on the path to Te-piu. Oh me!

A dirge chanted by Te-iro when they were
driven out of the Matakitaki Pa