Hone Tuwhare 1922 – 2008

Hone Tuwhare is gone. Of his poems, Friend is my favourite.

An extract:

Friend,
in this grim time
of dark unrest I press your hand
if only for reassurance that all
our jewelled fantasies were real
and wore splendid garb.

Perhaps the tree
will strike fresh roots again:
give soothing shade to a hurt
and troubled world.