Kiwi Konexions: The Old Coach Road
Glen Taylor's poem features an old New Zealand coach road which is now a 30-minute bush walk down the Catlins to the beach. Goods were brought in by ship to various jetties then taken by pack horse to settlements. A lot of these old trails are now very pleasant bush walks.
Tread softly on the old coach road
Down Tahakopa way.
Where trees link hands above your head,
And leaves their jewelled carpet spread,
As mossy glades reach back into
The dark and deep stygian pools.
Tread softly on the old coach road
Down Tahakopa way.
Where tree ferns lit by sun bright rays
Gleam silver, gold and mercury,
And tide eroded sand banks gaze
Onto the wave filled estuary.
Tread softly on the old coach road
Down Tahakopa way.
By Maori midden stop and strain
To hear the bellbirds clear refrain.
Or is it the sound of the packhorse train?
The ghosts of long ago.
Tread softly on the memories
Down Tahakopa way.
