Mimi Lowana

Mimi saw the eagle turning in the sky
Falling on the dove, she heard it cry
Born of foam and sea, Mimi Lowana,
Sun, gored by the horned moon, his daughter
Young and dark, ran through the ruddy water
Black body shining on the sands so white
Running fast, fearful of the falling night

White heels, brown toes washed by the rising tide
Dancing feet marking the sand with each stride
Whispering on her thighs, her naga waves
Eyes clear glancing, like pearls in double caves
Swiftly stooping a cuttle-bone she saves
Throwing it in the Dilli on her back
Marking a pause in her mundowi track

Her longing shadow surfed the breaker’s curl
Who is she? Cried the breeze, this lovely girl
Surprised the spinning willy-willy sang
Not known to me cried out the jerrryang
Let’s hear her sing her song, the currawong
Chimed, hiding in the bunya-bunya pine
Praising this new creature so swift and fine

Black maluga sat, dreaming in his cave
Intent, listening to each wind and wave
Hearing the luana’s swift footsteps fall
He rose, grabbing his Mutting from the wall
Blinded from the deep darkness of his caul
He bounded from his quamby in the gibba
His shadow falling on the sands to gibber

He was gularra, this kundji, his bingy
Wobbling, his cabon Lubara swinging
Cooee, he cried out to the running jin
Quick, Come here right now or I’ll do you in
Mimi whirled round and laughed in fear and fright
Scared by the yahoo standing in her way
She cried, I’m Mimi daughter of the day

This koori, so boojeri and so fair
Dark honey sweetness, with a lovely pair
Her lips were sweeter than a mungite flower
He felt the mundi burning in his hair
Her witch’s spell had caught him in her power,
Had turned his heart to stone, a thunder egg,
Lubara swelling up from off his leg

Clutching at her as she shied from his desire
He raised his arms and cast a dreaming spell
Calling on dread jingi of earth and fire
He lunged after her with an anguished yell
A mad snake writhing to the earth he fell
Eyes rolling, spittle flying on his chin
He cried to the gods to give him this jin

The moon god, looking down on him with pity
wrapped him in the skin of jinayiki
Her impious flight his magic did impeach
With giant coils he lashed along the beach
In savage chase the lovely girl to reach
Mouth dry, she heard the earth begin to shake
As at her feet she felt the garish snake

The sea, stirred up by the moons presumption
Strove to save her daughter by assumption
Rising swift to meet the dying sunlight
She wreathed it round with salty water’s bight
Spinning a shining cord, a wrong to right
Drawing the serpents skin into the sky
She cast the screaming wagyl heaven high

Wreathed around by the serpent’s shining sheath
She joined her father in the evening light
As down beyond the sea he fell, beneath
The darkest spell of mysterious night
She followed in his wake, her face so bright
A beacon in the Milky Way unfurled
Sweet virgin of the night, joy of the world

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Glossary:

bingi belly
boojeri pretty
bunya-bunya pine nut tree
cabon big
Cooee ‘come here’
Currajong bell magpie
dili collecting bag
gibba outcrop of rocks
gularra angry
jerryang little lorrikeet
jin wife
jinayiki snake
jingi devil
koori young girl
kundji wizard
lubara penis
lowana woman
maluga old man
mimi spirit
mungi magic stone
mundowi foot
mungite honeysuckle
mutting fishing spear
naga skirt
quamby sleeping place
willy-willy dust devil
wagyl rainbow serpent
Yahoo hairy man