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.

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Nafanua, the Samoan war goddess, talks about going to Washington DC

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For The Engine Will Be Coming

As they swung out onto the road
Past the old people
and their Chevies with the engines
still running,
bleeding black and red sorrow
on the beach road
into the horizon,
we young boys trembled
and waited,
knowing our turn
would one day come
to climb aboard and disappear.

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