"I saw the Maori Jesus walking on Wellington Harbour. He wore blue dungarees. His beard and hair were long. His breath smelt of mussels and paraoa. When he smiled it looked like the dawn. From 'The Maori Jesus' in Collected Poems of James K Baxter (ed J E Weir), Oxford University Press, 2003 "
Often remembered as a controversial figure, James K Baxter is one of New Zealand’s best poets, dramatists, and social commentators. His harsh critiques of New Zealand society arose from close social work such as providing support for those with drug addictions in Auckland or establishing a spiritual commune in Jerusalem (Whanganui). His work is biographical and should be read through the window of his experiences, from his childhood in Dunedin to the small commune in Auckland, where he died of a coronary thrombosis at the age of 46.
dawn smiled it looked like His beard and smelt hair
Jesus smelt of mussels
Jesus smelt of mussels
walking on blue dungarees smiled dawn
Jesus looked blue and smelt of Wellington and mussels