Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori 2025

 

Our Russley Writers took up the September Poetry Box challenge... to write a poem celebrating te reo Māori. We began with the word whanau and used it to springboard ideas and "grow a poem". Some poems use one or two te reo words and others use more. What is your favourite te reo word?

All five poems were selected for publication on Poetry Box. You can read them below, or go to the Poetry Box NZ website to read more. Paula Green said she received an astonishing amount of wonderful poems and it was very hard to pick what to post. Congratulations to Jharred, Brodie, Ila, Daisy and Sankalpa for being e-published, and special mention to Sankalpa who Paula chose to send a book to. 

Childhood Dream

To be a tamaiti:

I’d need,

two warm ringa hugging me tight,

a feed of bite sized pieces,

and baby finger kai

I’d need to

sail an imaginary moana,

in a bumpy bucket boat,

get yelled at everyday,

do your mahi!

go to school!

I’d 

use blankets as my kingdom,

crawl around my soft crib,

with blankets like fluffy clouds,

I’d need 

a harry potter pukapuka after bed,

and a softly whispered,

goodnight.

Jharred J

Year 8

If only I could go back

Soft toy panda twice the size of me

Little red balance bike

A million rākau on dad’s 10 acres backyard

Branches creaking like rusty door hinges

Eating devilled sausages like a greedy pig

Eat all of your veggies, Brodie, mum would say

– at least eat half of it

Ice cream at kura

If only I can go back

Brodie

Year 8

My Childhood In Nepal Fades Away As My Life Moves On

football at the pāka

with my cousins

festival dumplings 

with chicken and chilli fillings

 

my mum tells me to eat my kai

without looking at a screen

the rooster’s crow

wakes the neighbourhood

early morning

kite flying on the roof

Sankalpa P

Yr8

In The Past

old mā bear

is now considered childish

a fun picture pukapuka filled with laughter and happiness

is now immature

an animal duvet cover

now plain kāhurangi 

enjoying fun pāngarau sheets

now more complex with confusing letters and symbols

a bed I cried getting into 

is almost impossible to get out of

a cute dress or skirt 

is now jeans and hoodies scented with perfume

keep the heads on your lego people, mama says

a lego room full of adventure 

now has been taken apart

don’t jump from the rākau, papa says

a trampoline, rope swing, monkey bars, high climbing tree

now, the backyard is empty

kei te pehea koe? you ask

I’m missing the past

Ila R

Year 8

My moana 

My moana loves her creatures

My moana loves her stars

My moana loves her people

My moana loves me

Daisy F

Yr8

lightfast, pair, hold, justice, endure

Here are our entries for the 2025 Given Word Poetry Competition. All our poems had to include the five given words: lightfast, pair, hold, justice, endure. See if you can spot them!

 

She Left

We were a perfect pair
We held hands to withstand our despair
She sought justice for our
            friendship
Walked in sync to endure
            our hardship
We were like lightfast fabric
            a bond that never fades
Tears fell under the shade
She was like a sister to me
            we skipped around carefree
On my own now, she found
            a new friend
I guess its just me now
            until the very end…

Ila Rutherfurd

The Pain Experience

I endure this pain
and cry out for justice.
I lost to a game,
holding my lightfast ball.
As I suffer from losing,
sitting alone with my hope
strip off my pair of shoes
and start to give up,
tears well up in my eyes.

Jharred Jacinto

22 February 2011 12:59pm

as I hold time between my palms 

I take a look around

these houses were built to endure centuries

but now they're torn to the ground

a pair of tears rolls down my cheek

I thought I was lightfast, indestructible

but now,

I’m lost

justice slips off of me like a stick of butter

Daisy Forster

Grandad, listen 

Grandad, hold your breath 

Grandad, pair your shoes 

Grandad, endure your justice 

Grandad, listen to me from the heavens

Lightfast hair never fades in the sun

Brodie Morris

The fear of losing

The laughter echoes, a lightfast melody,

in the chambers of my heart, eternally.

As I endure the hardship of grief, 

as I hold onto your ashes

I walk in the ripples of the ocean

thinking of your favourite spot to sit.

A pair of seagulls dive into the shining water

the birds fight for justice 

just like you.

 

Sankalpa Poudel 

 

Given Words Poetry Competition | Results

Our Term 3 senior group of Russley Writers took up the challenge to write poems for the Given Words Poetry Competition.  Our poems had to include the words  justice, endure, pair, lightfast, hold.

It was super exciting to send our poems to Spain, where Charles Olsen, director of Given Words (and one of the judges) is based.

Our Russley Writers' poems were up against some very stiff competition, in the Under 16 category. It was great to have a line from one of our writers' poems quoted in the judge's comments:

Lamenting that we don’t publish all the poems that we receive, Sophia highlighted some gorgeous lines from poems that did not make it in this time, such as: . . . 'justice slips off of me like a stick of butter' (Daisy Forster, 12)

Whilst we had no prize-winners this time, we are thrilled to see two of this term's Russley Writers' Club poets had their poems selected by the judges to be published on the Given Words website! 

Congratulations to Ila R and Jharred!

You can read the judge's selection of favourites here.

Well done to everyone who took the leap and entered. Share your poems, they are brilliant and deserve an audience! Keep your beautiful poems somewhere safe . . . you might find another opportunity to submit them elsewhere in the future. Finally, KEEP on WRITING! I can't wait to read more of your brilliant creations!

Sound Poem

We wrote 'sound poems' inspired by Apirana Taylor's 'haka' poem.

when i hear nan's clock

by Daisy

when i hear the clock

in nan's bedroom

i feel the surroundings start to shift

it makes my body loosen

it is the memory holder

it is an early morning hug

it is nan's slow footsteps

crunching through the snow

when i hear the birdsong

by Sankalpa

when i hear the birdsong

i feel my body relax

it makes my breathing calm and steady

it is a band of flutes

it is the low whistling of the wind

it is my mum's conversation

Flash Fiction

Enjoy reading these flash fiction pieces by our very clever Year 8 writers:


Grandma's Early Work in Nepal

by Sankalpa 

The rooster’s crowing wakes the neighbourhood. Grandma gets up, feeds the buffalo and milks her. Grandma’s face is wrinkled and she wears plastic gloves. The buffalo’s tail is curled, its horns are thin and short. She flicks her tail and snorts. 

When Grandma finishes with the buffalo she carefully brings the bucket full of milk up two flights of stairs. The door squeaks like a hungry bat. She opens the fridge and puts the bucket in. She sits on the battered old couch and waits for the rest of the house to wake.

Early Days

by Ila R

Arihi marvels at the stunning Southern Alps. Soft snow drapes the mountains like a blanket. Arihi talks the whole way to her older brother Koa, until she starts eating.

Arihi stares out the car window, picturing skimming rocks across the lake and jumping in the hot pools, disturbing everyone around them. Now, Koa is telling Arihi about the infamous stone grill through their makeshift wall of pillows separating their two designated seats. 

“Koa, look! I see our Tekapо̄ house! Koa look!” Arihi shouts, grabbing Koa’s shoulder.

“ I see it, I see, Arihi. Put your seatbelt back on!” Koa says. 

Koa reaches over to Arihi's seatbelt. “Hey! You're on my side!” Arihi wails.

“Look, we’re here!” Koa says, distracting Arihi.

The car comes to an abrupt halt. Arihi sprints out of the car and into their holiday home wanting to claim her bedroom before Koa. Koa grabs Arihi's belongings she’d discarded on the stone driveaway. 

Soon, Arihi and Koa will be looking out those same windows weeks later. Once snow-covered mountains will be green, blooming with the new life of spring flowers.



Ice-cream at School

by Brodie M

Ice-cream at school is still my dream. I remember ice-cream at 5 years old in those little kid cones during class time. Sitting on the little blue benches with the rest of the class until out of nowhere I was pushed off the bench and still managed to save my ice cream. Ice-cream dripped all over my hands, melting from the hot sun. I slurped it all up off my little fingers. It’s a struggle to stay focussed in Miss Aiken’s math class… if only I could go back to being that 5 year old.

Marker on the wall

by Daisy F

The marker in my hand drags across the white wall. My brother stares at me. “Mom!” he screams and runs away. I freeze momentarily. 

Mom stomps down the hall. “Who did this?!” she interrogates. 

My fingers shake, my cheeks turn numb. I point to Alfie.

Cat Poems published on Poetry Box!

Congratulations to Daisy, Isla, Jharred and Sankalpa who have all had their cat poems selected by Paula Green as favourites! All four poems have been published on Poetry Box.They can consider themselves e-published poets! Woohoo!

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2025/08/26/poetry-box-popup-challenge-some-favourite-cat-poems/

Twinkles

his green glowing eyes stare me down
his walk is pure sass
his fat tail swings in the frosty wind
his fur is no longer black
his hiss is like a snake
his claws drag along the new couch
his smile turns into a smirk
his paws leap towards me
TWINKLES, how rude!

Daisy F, 12yrs, Yr8, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Cat’s Catalogue

My cat wakes up at dawn
It eats in the morning
It cuddles at noon,
It meows in the afternoon,
like it’s trying to talk to me.
It purrs like an engine at dusk,
It chases me in the evening like I’m its last food.
It sneaks into the night like a spy.
It sleeps at midnight.

by Jharred J, Y8, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

A Tangle of Terror

Its chubby face looks like your companion,
it grooms itself innocently,

but…

its sharp claws dig into its prey,
devilish eyes gaze into their souls

Sankalpa P. Yr 8, 13 years, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Moose

Bringing birds inside
What are you doing?
Side-ways walking down the hallway
What are you doing?
Eating like you have never been fed
What are you doing?
Attacking birds left and right
What are you doing?
Constantly staring out the window
What are you doing?
Searching for a bunny that is no longer with us

What are you-
Oh…
“You want Waffles back!”

Ila R, 12yrs, Year 8, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Storm poets published on Poetry Box

Congratulations to Year 4 students, Zachary and Charlie, who have both had their 'storm' poems published on Paula Green's Poetry Box website.

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2025/08/04/poetry-box-challenges-some-favourite-storm-poems/

Henry wins major poetry prize!

NZ Poetry Society 2025 International Poetry Competition

Huge congratulations to Henry Peters who has won 1st Prize in the New Zealand Poetry Society’s 2025 International Poetry Competition, Primary/Intermediate section, Haiku Junior category. Henry's award brings automatic publication in the NZPS 2025 Anthology, to be published in November and $50 in prize money. 

In addition, Angela Z was awarded 2nd place in the open junior division and Kelvin Ma was awarded Commended.

Congratulations to all!

https://www.poetrysociety.org.nz/our-news/

Published on Poetry Box | Medhandsh and Theo G

Congratulations to Medhandsh and Theo G, who have had poems e-published on Poetry Box!

In addition, poet Paula Green picked both Medhansh and Theo to send a copy of her poetry book to. (This won't arrive until next term).

You can read their poems at this link:

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2025/06/23/poetry-box-june-childrens-rhyme-challenge-some-favourite-poems/

Poetry Box | Object Poems

Our final writing challenge for the year was Paula Green's Object Poem. Each of our writers picked an inanimate object that was meaningful to them and wrote a poem inspired by it.

The objects ranged from special items of jewellery to toys and musical instruments and even a traffic light!

Congratulations to all our writers who took the plunge and gave this challenge a try. Paula has picked some of the poems she received to publish on Poetry Box. Special mention to Liama and Sanuthi who Paula has chosen to send one of her poetry books to. Well done!

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2024/12/10/poetry-box-poems-by-children-objects/

Bernadette S. age 10,

sitting on a shelf
the cat basks in sunlight
black glass sparkling

Bernadette S. age 10, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

the globe perches on the desk
spinning around and around
my finger lands on Mexico

Kimberly B. age 9, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

one pair of shoes
for walking and running
dirty holes and tangled laces

Liama L. age 10, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

roller skates in my wardrobe
I’m searching
for another pair of shoes

Kylie G, age 8, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Great Nana June’s Bracelet

rusty like an old car
golden like a one dollar coin
delicate like a twig
it reminds me of her

Harper B, age 9, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Blank Paper

white like santa’s beard
fresh like a new bud
parched like a desert

it is but paper
waiting for a pencil
to disturb its surface

by Katherine L, age 9, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Tonga

Tonga
a beautiful island
sits above the water

palm trees
surround the country
coconuts cling onto branches

the pacific ocean
crystal clear

a monstrous wave sprints to shore

Sisilia L. age 9, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

I bought a traffic light
my very own traffic light
a five year old kid’s dream

Sam M. age 9, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

A pencil has a limited life.
Life gets shorter when sharpened.
If ever sharpened to the end, life runs out.

Kelvin M. age 9, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

the soft touch of the dolphin
that came from Japan
the reminder of my grandparents in Tokushima

Karin M. age 11, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Guitar

in my case my guitar
with memories like gold
memories
when I played my first song to my dad
on his special day
with love

when I was nine
on my special day
my dad brought me my own guitar

Sanuthi G. age 11, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

my school bag

my school bag
I see it every single day
since I was six  
it’s fluffy and pink
I don’t want another school bag

Bhaarati S. age 10, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School

Sharing Poetry

What a wonderful couple of weeks this Writing Club team has had. Such a talented bunch of poets! Today we enjoyed sitting in the shade of this lovely tree sharing haiku and free verse poetry. Perhaps it was a "poe-tree"!

 

Poetry Box Family Story Poems

 Congratulations to these writers who had their family story poems picked to be published on Poetry Box!

Kylie

Katherine

Bernadette

Kimberly

Harper

Sisilia

In addition, Paula is sending a book prize to Kylie, Sisilia and Kimberly. You can read their poems at the link below:

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2024/12/04/poetry-box-poems-by-children-family-stories/

Write On Magazine | Highly Commended

Congratulations to Hayley Chen who had a poem awarded Highly Commended in the School for Young Writers Write On magazine competition for Issue 63: In Conversation.

https://www.schoolforyoungwriters.org/post/winners-in-conversation

NZ Poetry Society Anthology | Published Poets

Congratulations to newly published authors, Leyan Abdelfadil, Henry Elkins, Lucas Yee and Isabelle Holmes who had poems included in the New Zealand Poetry Society Te Rōpū Toikupu o Aotearoa “paint me” 2024 anthology, which was launched at Tūranga on November 10th. 

From over 1500 entries by experienced authors and young writers, 160 were selected to be published in this international anthology. 

Pictured are proud published poets Leyan and Henry.

Year 4 Given Word Poems

Enjoy these Given Word Poems from our Year 4 students. I think they did an amazing job of getting all five of the Given words in their poems! Look out for them: feather, eat, time, whisper, phantasmagoria.

Beach Dreams

I hear the waves calling me

while I look 

for a phantasmagoria 

of rainbow feathers, 

gold and magic shells

buried in the smooth sand

I watch

a baby seagull

eat a sandwich

I look at the time

wow!

it’s already 1pm

I hear a whisper

coming from far away, out in

the ocean

I wonder

what it’s saying?

Hmmm . . . maybe it’s saying

there’s more treasure in there?

by Bridget I.

The Sun and the Moon

A bright moon starts to appear

in the dark sky

when the phantasmagoria

hits my eyes

and the whisper smacks

the drum of my ear

time ticks

almost time to go home

going home in the shiny car

when we arrive

I eat cereal

then tuck into bed

lie down on the duck feather pillow

I wake up and look outside

for the moon

but why is it not there?

by Ella K.

Phantasmagoria

Beach Day

I hear the waves whisper to me

I see my friends eating a vanilla ice cream

from mr whippy’s van

I stare at the time while it hits nine

I find a girl with a phantasmagoria of shells,

silver and gold,

feathers and dusty autumn leaves

I feel the sand touch my feet

as the waves come crashing to me

I start to wobble

I tumble on my knees

while a crab as red as fire

pinches my feet

I see a seagull munching

on my friend’s ice cream

Bridget screams, Ahhh!

I shoo the seagull away to the bridge

but . . . where did that crab go?

by Celia A.

At the Scary Restaurant

It’s time to eat dinner

at the fancy diner.

The whisper of the wind 

blew a duck feather in.

The diner ghosted me

on the leather seat,

if felt like phantasmagoria

while I was eating.

Is this a dream?

Or a nightmare?

by Maggie M.

The Shadow

Panting,

Hoping for

A glass of water and something to eat,

Night comes

To an end, just a dream, but

A tree crates an unusual

Shadow one

Moment in time,

A dark feather like shape

Growls, and I whisper, hello?

Only

Roxy,

I laugh

As my ginger puppy jumps on me!

by Thomas C.

The Secret

I wake up to my orange clock

the time is 8 o’clock

I hear the chime

I go downstairs to eat.

My friend 

whispers me a secret

I gasp.

my baby brother finds a feather,

black and white,

it tickles

my nose.

I felt a phantasmagoria

of emotion 

come to me and then

vanish.

by Thomas C.

More Given Word Poems

Here are a few more poems written for the Given Word Poetry Competition, from our senior poets. See if you can spot all five of the Given Words, which had to be included: feather, whisper, time, eat, PHANTASMAGORIA.

                                      

Titanic

I look up at the ship of dreams

or is it just a 

phantasmagoria

Is it there – but I can hear the 

whispers of excitement 

ladies wearing feather and tulle hats  

and leather shoes stomping around

I look at my ticket then check the time

should I go on – or go to

The Grapes

to grab something to

eat,

or maybe a final drink?

By Daisy

The Beach is a Phantasmagoria

The beach is a phantasmagoria,

a fantastic fantasy in an auditorium. 

As the waves eat at the sand 

I hear a faint whisper 

almost like my elder sister. 

Time is flying fast now

although I don't know how. 

As a feather brushes past my nose 

I forget all my foes. 

The perfect place to start from scratch

as I look over my shoulder 

at the joyful bach.

It's easy to stay but hard to go . . . 

By: Mila C

Hallucination

Phantoms

Hovering

Above

New Zealand

The wind whispers like 

A

Snake as it eats 

Mice one

At a time,

Griffins with golden feathers swoop down,

Orcas 

Racing

In the crashing waves 

At the beach

by Perez S

PHANTASMAGORIA AT THE GOLF COURSE

Purple dazzling feathers

Happily falling from the
Aquarium roof in the
Night sky
Ticking off time
As we eat
Spinach with a lovely scent of
Mild mint sauce, all
At the
Golf course cafe
Observing every little thing while my dad is
Racing my sister
In
A one hundred metre spring race

by Brodie M

 

As Night Ate the Day

As night ate the day

And the sun went away,

While looking up there

In the world where,

I remember a story

In my history.

Where stars twinkle and dance

I hear a whisper

with my lovely sister,

We’re having a magical time

We feel like birds in warm feathers

in a phantasmagoria dream

by Victoria K

A Phantasmagoria of Poems

Enjoy these poems by our year 5 and 6 students, written for the Given Word Poetry challenge. Each poem had to contain the words: feather, whisper, time, eat, phantasmagoria.

Grandpa’s House

In the small house:

a phantasmagoria of feathers,

rocks, marbles and . . . 

a little whispering sound

I look around

but there is only a small mouse

eating a piece of cheese

Suddenly, 

I hear a laugh – 

By the time I turn

in the doorway 

stands Grandpa

He smiles 

and gives me a marble

with a rainbow inside

by Charlotte L.

Friendship

a noisy seagull flies over 

me and my friend

and drops a pink feather

we collect

a phantasmagoria of shells

shaped like animals and letters

‘Smores!’ my mum calls

time to eat

as we watch the sunset

we whisper quietly 

to each other

saying, ‘it’s pink like a flamingo’

we hear the ocean

splashing on the 

golden sand

by Phoebe I

My Pop’s Garage!

Spiderwebs surround the jars and roof

a phantasmagoria of stuff

an old car from 1939

rusted and broken

dusty furniture

rickety, antique

the garage door rattles

when opened or closed

feeling like I’m not alone 

the time ticks by . . . 

as I stumble over

I come to a book 

filled with unique feathers and

birds eating chips on the beach

a squeaky door with a rusty handle

a rusty, old bicycle with scratched paint

old crutches that I love to play on

and the wind whispers 

and bounces off the the roof

by Lily S.

Phantasmagoria Nightmares

In my room with my cat 

I hear the shadows whispering to me

I look at the time

I see it’s twelve o’clock

then I remember I haven't eaten my dinner

I clutch my dream catcher with its dove feathers

hoping that this nightmare would end

I hear scratching on the door

my doorknob creaks 

and the door opens 

I see two shadowy brown eyes

I blink twice

then a black cat jumps on my bed 

I fall off my bed and I wonder 

if it was reality or a phantasmagoria?

by Vinnie HL

The Phantasmagoria Box

a piglet with a spotted scarf

a little white pot

a mini book with a yellow dragon on the cover

a squishy globe 

a glass candy ornament with blue stripes

a grey shiny sticker, soft as a feather

a red paintbrush

a silver pirate ring with an eye patch

which whispers to me

a gold bell that rings – time to eat

a big black button with four holes

and a phantasmagoria of spiders

by Mila-Rose R.

The Swimming Pool | by Aiden W

 

Phantasmagoria | by Ella K