Papa from Zealandia by Dudley Benson

Who are you?
Where is my mountain?
A whisper, a song in the silence
You awaken me with your voice
Scary and lovely, you say "E tu"
With your hand on my beating chest
Weightless, you take me into your arms
An assembly of strength, love, light

With me on your back, and you on the wind
Together we fly up into Australis’ eye
You know what you’re doing as you intonate,
the cloud unrolls before your arms
Now, I see how you broke up
With your boyfriend all those years ago

Papa!

You point to the coastline where, as a girl
You were taken from your mother’s arms
Ripped apart
A violence we feed with
The blood of our colony
And quest to deliver kindly domination
Underground aquifer overflowing
We are the soldiers of Kiwa’s army

This union of islands, I get it now
You hid them from a drying world
“Ancient? What’s that mean?”
You smiled at me
As we dropped into Hawaiki

“This is where you get off –
Good luck to you when you meet Hine”
And I say:
“Hine, open yourself up!
I’m ready to enter the vulva again”

Papa, I got this
I know you’re tired, let me give you a hand
Papa, I’ll spot you
Come over here, hop on my piggyback
Papa, I feel you
Tonight you will be the belle of the ball
Papa, I’m ready
To be yours to offer myself
Papa, we’re waiting
With our baskets already full
Papa, we promise
We will keep your fire alive

• Alternative
• Electronic
• New Zealand
• indie pop
• singer-songwriter
• Melbourne