– 236 –

A Leave-Taking

E kore koe, e Uri, e ata kitea atu i nga ra katoa i te rehu wai ta e au,
Whakapukepuke ai ngaru ki Waikawa na te tima kawe i whakakori te wai e au;
Tutu kau ai ngaia ki Turanga i punehu rere ki to o kotahi e au,
I hoki mai te waapu o poroporoaki, hei konei, e hine, kia atu noho e au;
Ka huri te waiata aroha kia koe, na tou hoa aroha.

[Translation]

You, O Uri, have gone from my gaze,
Like the setting sun o’er the turbid wave,
Far, far away to Waikawa;
No more shall I behold you.
The steamer that bore you on the waters
With spray besprinkled me—alas poor me!
Returning broken-hearted to Turanga
Whence my distressed thoughts
Ever go forth only to thee.
From the wharf I heard this thy last farewell:
O Hine, O cherished one, grieve not for me.