Stephen Douglas
It’s a village in the Waikato, near Te Awamutu
District council Waipa, govern property affairs.
And you can circumference the quaint township
By foot or cycle ~ it matters not, it’s your choice.
Its original name has a Danish connection, as in
‘Alexandra of Denmark’[2]who married Prince Edward,
And she then became known as Princess of Wales.
Confusion with the South[3]meant a name change,
And thus, the settlement was renamed Pirongia,
After its namesake, the tallest mountain[4]in Waikato.
A river-steamer transport town, come military base,
The township flourished to a crowd.
But the railway bypass meant, decline took place
Whilst Te Awamutu benefited from the iron track.
The population of Pirongia took an ‘about-face’
But of late, city-dwellers have come to congregate (to)
Re-scent the rural village from “like a bad smell”[5]
To a fragrant balmy smell of Waikato life-style.
Where lambs bleat, bobby calves moo, and cows
Share their milk, in plastic bottles too!!
[supportfootnotes]
[1] The traditional name for Pirongia was ‘Pirongia te aroaro O Kahu’ meaning ‘the fragrant presence of Kahu’ his wife. [2] Pirongia – as a garrison town it was called Alexandra. [3] In 1896, the town’s name was changed to Pirongia to prevent confusion with South Island gold mining town Alexandra. [4] Mount Pirongia, 959meters. [5] Pirongia - a meaning in Maori is; ‘like a bad smell’.
Copyright © stephen c douglas, 23rd August, 2020