Topenga Ataata
Kupu Tūpato
I sit in the salt water, call in a vision of my daughter
– E noho ana ahau i roto i te wai tote, karanga i roto i te kitenga o toku tamahine
Light a candle, place my grief upon the altar
– Whakaarahia he rama, whakatakotoria taku pouri ki runga ki te aata
Bird in my hands, a flower, a song
– He manu i roto i oku ringa, he puawai, he waiata
I used to think I knew what sadness was
– I whakaaro ahau i mohio ahau he aha te pouri
I was wrong
– I hē ahau
A piece of flesh, a million pounds
– He wahi kikokiko, kotahi miriona pauna
Am I a woman now?
– He wahine ahau inaianei?
The crescent moon, an apple sliced
– Ko te marama marama, he aporo i tapahia
Fig in the sky
– Ko te piki i te rangi
The air smells of fruit and smoke
– He kakara te hau o te hua me te paowa
The season is ripe
– Kua rite te wā
I stay in the house, move the furniture about
– E noho ana ahau i roto i te whare, neke i te taonga e pā ana ki
Try and control what I can
– Whakamātauria me te whakahaere i te mea e taea e ahau
And feel the world slip through my hand
– A fe i te ao paheke i roto i toku ringa
You can have it all
– Ka taea e koe te whai i te reira katoa
You can have it all
– Ka taea e koe te whai i te reira katoa
Dug a hole in the garden and buried a scream
– I keri i tētahi poka i roto i te kari ā i tanu i tētahi hamama
And from it grew a bright red tree
– A i tupu mai i reira he rakau whero kanapa
Shining with jagged leaves
– E whiti ana ki ngā rau kōaro
And when the wind blows, you can hear it
– A, ka pupuhi te hau, ka taea e koe te whakarongo
Dug a hole in the garden and buried a scream
– I keri i tētahi poka i roto i te kari ā i tanu i tētahi hamama
And from it grew a bright red tree
– A i tupu mai i reira he rakau whero kanapa
Shining with jagged leaves
– E whiti ana ki ngā rau kōaro
And when the wind blows, you can hear it
– A, ka pupuhi te hau, ka taea e koe te whakarongo
You can have it all
– Ka taea e koe te whai i te reira katoa
You can have it all
– Ka taea e koe te whai i te reira katoa
(You can have it all)
– (Ka taea e koe te whai i te reira katoa)
A piece of flesh, a million pounds
– He wahi kikokiko, kotahi miriona pauna
Am I a woman now?
– He wahine ahau inaianei?
(You can have it all)
– (Ka taea e koe te whai i te reira katoa)
Tree grows tall, can’t cut me down
– Ka tipu te rākau, kāore e taea te tapahi i ahau
Am I a woman now?
– He wahine ahau inaianei?
