TRACEY TAWHIAO

Tracey Tawhiao is a writer, poet, film-maker, lawyer and visual artist. She has iwi links to Ngāi Te Rangi from Matakana Island and Tūwharetoa, Taumarunui, as well as Whakatōhea. After receiving a law degree and BA in classical studies, Tawhiao began practising as an artist. Her writing has been widely published in magazines and journals and her paintings and poetry featured in the book Taiawhio (Te Papa Press, 2006). She is the head of Artist & Repertoire for music management company Heartmusic. She is also a director of The House of Taonga, a Maori artist house of thought and creative endeavour.

My Mother and Me

I’m sweeping my kitchen floor

Then I make the beds

I clean the toilets

I wash the dishes

I wipe down the bench

My mother says I’m a bit slack with my cleaning

I’m bathing my kids

I warm their pajamas in the hot-water cupboard

I get mad because they are moaning

I get their towels off the heater

I dress them

My mother says I don’t get right into the corners

I’m writing a poem

Then I fill in my diary

I hang up a painting

I flick through a novel

I find my page

I’m in bed

My mother says your poems are so angry can’t you write nice things

I’m dreaming and I wake crying

I start writing

When I was small I coloured in

I get up when it’s light

I make the kids breakfast

I pack them a lunch

My mother says be nicer to your husband, he’s a good man

I’m starting my day again

Sweeping the floor

Making the beds

Writing a poem

Running a bath

Cooking a meal

My mother says I don’t have one single memory of playing with you

Isn’t that awful, I don’t think I ever played with you.