Samoa loss

Samoa loss

 
We no longer eat with our fingers or
Hear the calm silence
No longer sit around the table
Eating, talking, laughing
We no longer laugh at the
Silly nothings of life
Walking five miles to
School replaced by free bus
to Massey University
We no longer tie mosquito
nets to keep them out at
night
we no longer sing in the
church choir but in front of
cameras
for NZ idol
no longer swim at Mulinuu
or sink feet in the sands of
Vaiala
now and then we wear
lavalavas
reminding us of island bonds
tied to make umu in the
stomach of the Earth
no longer rest
in the shades of
the tamaligi trees
and walk bare feet,
embracing the Fa'asamoa

Pasifika Arts & Literary Series

Copyright ©2009 Juliet Enid Westerlund

A view of Samoa from the top, I took this photo from a RNAF helicopter