What is Poem in the Matukituki Valley by James K Baxter about?

Answer 1

Some important themes underlying "Poem in The Matukituki Valley" include:

* God's might can be reflected in nature and us humans tend to fear both God and nature because it seems far easier to focus on our careers, social life and making money for example than it is to be true to ourselves, and become more spiritual people.

This is best shown by these lines: "For us the land is matrix and destroyer/Resentful, darkly known..." Just like God, land/nature is viewed as something that can both create and destroy and very few people truly know either in a good light but rather just assume that they are figures of a great threat.

Another example of this theme: "And those who sleep in close bags fitfully... do they not... Endure the hermit's peace and mindless ecstasy?" This creates the image of people camping out in the bush and worrying about storms or other "dangers" rather than just finding ease, splendour and peace in the beauty of the wilderness or the fact that they are alone and in a peaceful place with no stress.

* Time wasting - leading on from the 1st theme mentioned, we end up wasting our lives away. This is reflected in the final stanza, "Where man may live and no wild trespass of what's eternal shake his grave of time". Translated this means that man chooses to live a life that does not consist of the things that truly matter.