Cuppa Words – ‘KUPU’ and ‘Sir Barren Church’

You’ve tried to cancel the kupu
in the classroom
But the spirit of kōrero remains
in the hearts and mouths of the tamariki
You may think you know better
which kupu are more important
And your judgement of their ability
is children cannot embrace both 
This says more about you than them
Is the english 
with a small e
of preferred importance
and relevancy
in their world?
NO!
We will speak Māori
you’ll never cancel it out
The spirit of kōrero Māori endures
from the strap and ruler for children back in the day
to the media beat ups,
government cancellations
legislative reversals
and keyboard warriors of our day
You’ll never suppress them 
as the colonisers, church and other agents have tried to do
blankets and muskets
blankets and muskets

drink, drugs, gambling, unemployment
shit wages, damp housing, pathetic dole rates
police brutality, racial profiling
blatant segregation and subtle 
and not so subtle sideways shifts
Māori have endured
defied annihilation
raged against suppression 
survived marginalisation 
grieved confiscations
put up with segregation
a lack of basic rights and respect
But you will not control them anymore
With legislation that refuses to allow their kōrero
It lives within hearts and breathes 
into the world
every time breath is released and shared
So good luck with cancelling their kupu
Māori will endure
And the Reo will out
despite you

I remember the excitement felt on Sundays 
After spending six days alone. 
My nights were always the hardest
The floorboards of mine would moan.
In darkness I’d count stars above me
Asking god how many there were
A silent response was my answer
I’m guessing he’d lost count for sure.
The odd mouse would entertain me
Scratching inside my walls felt good

The sensation was like a tickle
Considering my bones were made of wood.
A hundred years or so I’ve stood here 
Weddings, baptisms, farewelling the old
Many memories I have heard and happy stories forever told.
The land around me now grows barren
Doors stay locked my windows closed. 
I pray to God for restoration 
So that my purpose will not foreclose.