Poetic licence at Raetihi

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 685, 6 May 1997, Page 5

Poetic licence at Raetihi

By

Amiria

Teki

Raetihi's Mathew Mowat launched a collection of po ems, entitled 'The Broken Flame of Days', recently at McLean's Bookshop. The collection has been dedicated to his friend Fleur. A Maori quotation introduces the hook — "Mau ano tipana, maku te ata o te tapara kau atu e" — "For you the reality, for me only the shadow of desire". He closes with a saying from a good shearing mate, Chockyman — "I've had a taste of the good life, and I've had a taste of the bad life, so now we can go to school Makakahi..." The photograph on the front cover, a study of him with his brother Patrick, was taken by his aunt, Amiria Teki, who gave him the photo as a 21st birthday present.

Copies of the book are available at McLeans. Mathew is the oldest son of Pauline and Tom Mowat. He was born and raised in Raetihi, attending Ruapehu College to the Seventh Form. He has always had an interest in writing poetry and from when he was young, as with all his family, he read a lot and was keen on writing. Since leaving school Mathew has worked at shearing sheep, fruit picking, busking, general farm hand and more. He and many of his old school friends have travelled extensively, when Mathew put his guitar-playing musical abilities to good use covering costs along the way. Some of his experiences are expressed through verse. Currently Mathew lives in Wellington, where he is attending a music course.