Levi Kereama Poetry series

#1 Got to Go Back
roll on
lowdown
im a lowland soul now
we sure made our empties go another round.
but something went wrong, and we wore out
now your home is alight,
and your cat gets in too many fights
if only we could go back
he tawhiti nui kei waenga a taua

#2 – Puddles of Hometown
no i love you.
know that i love you
but don’t be smart with me
your parents have degrees
mine got stuck in the puddles
of hometown, o wā kāinga
i’m not mad your fancy
i like your new shoes, i do
i just wish i had a fancy pair too
a fancy dancy pair me and you

#3 – Dear Captain
he aha tenei?
captain, you must think quick
you must feel fast, don’t fall into
that deep sea of your own head
you tell me
you’ll never know what it says till you sink
i will never hear it groan, crash or foam
e iro e iro

#4 - Wāhine
leave it at the door? kao. i’m not too fool
to fear her, i’m going down to see her
i’ll take it down soon, the rumours about her
are only half true
                                      all alone
                                      it’s not nice to have a meal alone
                                      i can’t just leave it at the door

he wāhine, ka ngaro te tangata

#5 – Only 20 Dollars
remember
that time
when you
acted
like you
forgot my name
i played along even though you owed me money
i was wondering if you could still pay me back
                                                                            please,
                                                                            you know my name