Into the world you sent her, mothe… Fashioned her body of coral and fo… Combed a wave in her hair’s warm s… And drove her away from home In the dark of the night she crept…

Now’s the time when children’s nos… All become as red as roses And the colour of their faces Makes me think of orchard places Where the juicy apples grow,

I Ran to the forest for shelter, Breathless, half sobbing; I put my arms round a tree, Pillowed my head against the rough… “Protect me,” I said. “I am a lo…

Hinemoa, Tui, Maina, All of them were born together; They are quite an extra special Set of babies—wax and leather. Every day they took an airing;

These be two Countrywomen. What a size! Grand big arms And round red faces;

There was a child once. He came to play in my garden; He was quite pale and silent. Only when he smiled I knew everyt… I knew what he had in his pockets,

In an opal dream cave I found a f… Her wings were frailer than flower… Frailer far than snowflakes. She was not frightened, but poised… Then delicately walked into my han…

The fields are snowbound no longer… There are little blue lakes and fl… The snow has been caught up into t… So many white clouds—and the blue… Now the sun walks in the forest,

I wish I had not got a cold, The wind is big and wild, I wish that I was very old, Not just a little child. Somehow the day is very long

Half-Past-Six and I were talking In a very grown-up way; We had got so tired with running That we did not want to play. “How do babies come, I wonder,”

I climbed up the karaka tree Into a nest all made of leaves But soft as feathers. I made up a song that went on sing… And hadn’t any words, but got sad…

The Sea called—I lay on the rocks… “I am come.” She mocked and showed her teeth, Stretching out her long green arms… “Go away!” she thundered.

Baby Babbles—only one, Now to sit up has begun. Little Babbles quite turned two Walks as well as I and you. And Miss Babbles one, two, three,

Babies must not eat the coal And they must not make grimaces, Nor in party dresses roll And must never black their faces. They must learn that pointing’s ru…

Sleeping together... how tired you… How warm our room... how the firel… On walls and ceiling and great whi… We spoke in whispers as children d… And now it was I—and then it was…