Poem of the Week: ''Nafanua, the Samoan goddess of war, becomes a Creole'' by Tusiata Avia
7 July, 2010
Nafanua, the Samoan goddess of war, becomes a Creole
Nafanua lays the flesh of smoked freshwater fish
against the skin of her belly
she is as dark as an octoroon
or a quadroon even.
Against the skin of her belly
a lover the colour of a brown paper bag
or a quadroon even
the colour of river shrimp and lake shrimp.
A lover the colour of a brown paper bag
who could pass for black or white
the colour of river shrimp and lake shrimp
Nafanua melts down to a golden roux.
Who could pass for black or white?
Nafanua with a body soft as pig fat
Nafanua melts down to a golden roux
runs in shining streaks down to the open mouth.
Nafanua with a body soft as pig fat
Nafanua with a belly like a salt trout
runs in shining streaks down to the open mouth
of the brackish Pontchartrain.
Categories:
well that was a good read.. and HUZZAH for mariana, poet extraordinaire!
”x