Select Poetry.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 354, 15 March 1861, Page 4

Select Poetry.

THE TAEANAKI MOTHER'S LAMENT. Farewell to my cottage, farewell to my home, 'Midst strangers and" houseless my children must

roam, The trees of the forest are burning, and fall, Our dwelling is blazing and we've lost our all; The garden is trampled, the orchard is gone, And once more, sad pilgrims, we're breadless and lone. 01 where shall we wander, and where shall we lie, For no friendly Maori now cries Haremai! Our faithful horse " Banger1' is driven away, The poultry quite frantic, are flying astray, Dear " Tommy," the pony, has met a sad lot, He saved his poor master,—himself has been shot, The sheep are all stolen, with " Daisy" the cow, And none are so hapless as we are just now; Perhaps by to-morrow by hatchets we die, And no friendly Maori now calls Haremai I Loud booming of cannon and rifles we hear, And yells of defiance convulse us with fear, ( mr trembling young children, scarce able to stand, Keep asking for why they were brought to this land; They hear that their father must leave them and fight,

And who shall protect the poor lone ones at night ? O! tell us dear mother, when danger is nigh, Will no friendly Maori exclaim Haremai! Say when shall we welcome sweet tidings of peace, Avid when shall these battles, these butcheries cease, Shall we ever return to yonder lov'd farm, And know that the natives will do us no harm: T'lat they are forgiven, and they too forgive, And once more good friends and good neighbors we

live. Most joyful the day when the Maories shall cry In true Christian love Haremai! Haremai! — New Zealander.