WARDLEY D I BARRY

This is a poem in Tok Pisin for PNG Attitude. It's the first one I've written in Tok Pisin. It is about politicians ignoring voters but coming back at the next election to once again seek their votes. During their term, politicians recognised voters as save pes (acquaintances whose faces are recognised but whose names are not known). However, come election time, the roles are reversed. Sick of being treated as nobodies, the people refuse to vote them back. The politicians have become the voters' save pes - WB

yu laik antap
bikos yu blo antap

mi blo tamblo
na mi bai stap tamblo

yu tok ‘To Mak’
na mi givim yu mak

yu tok ‘tura’
mi givim yu namba

mi baim takis
na yu kisim akis

tasol wanem
taim ba mi karim nem?