Xylophone Poem
Raphael at Matarawa
Raphael did not live
at Matarawa
But given he could have
would he rotate his
brush inside the throat
of a pukeko
alone
in the frost
Gauge the timbre
of the nocturnal call
then paint it vermilion
Raphael did not live
at Matarawa
But given he could have
would he twinkle his
brush into the helix
of a westerly sky
and ride
the silver switch back
from Lake Ferry to the Tararuas
Raphael did not live
at Matarawa
But given he could have
would he scumble
the paint of
blue
escaping the drought
and plough a small raga of purple
and green
If Raphael had lived
at Matarawa
he might have been
electrocuted by the sun
-Rhondda Greig 2001
Raphael was considered one of the greatest and most popular artists of all time. His painting is a rare mixture of Renaissance figurative research and the touching feeling of deeply human poetry. His art reflects the artistic culture between the 15th and 16th centuries in Italy.
Matarawa is located south west of Carterton
This sculpture was funded by theFriends of Aratoi and is currently on loan to the Masterton Hospital.
