I Am Waiting for You
I am waiting for you
in the shadow of the maunga,
in the cold damp bush.
I am perched on the edge of the forest,
on the branch of the mighty kauri tree.
I slowly slide down the trunk and
hide amongst the ferns.
I see their silver underbellies glistening in the moonlight,
bowing their leaves to me in the wind as I slink past an ageing kauri snail.
Its meat is of no interest to me so I continue bashing through the undergrowth.
What do you think of me?
I have a dark glossy coat that ripples in the breeze.
I am sly with a hooked tail,
like the curve of a koru.
I strip the trees of their growth.
I scramble, I scamper, I slink through the darkness.
I steal tree’s life;
I destroy Mother Nature.
Do you hear me as I shake branches?
Do you hear me crunching on the leaves of the rimu?
Do you hear my victory screech,
my grunts as I climb to the canopy,
my hiss to scare you off?
But some don’t hear my warning cry.
Some venture on in search of my blood.
I creep through the black,
across the gravel path.
Two blinding lights appear
from around the corner.
I freeze…
The lights stare at me.
I stare back with wide inky eyes.
I hear the sound of a gun.
I run.
I am darting through the bushes,
swerving,
scampering.
I flee until I reach the safety
of my kauri tree.
I am waiting for you
to give up…
I have survived the hunt,
I have dodged death,
I am still alive.
The fight has been fought,
the victory has been won.
I am curled up in my tree
waiting for your return.
My place is to taunt you
and destroy your mighty forest.
Stella Stevens
Year 13
Motueka High School
