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Bik bus long maunten

Awagl mountain forestMICHAEL DOM

Tok Pisin translation of Mountain Forest by Jimmy Awagl, whose original English poem follows

Bikpela bus emi tutak tumas
I silip antap long nus bilong maunten
Klaut i pasim het bilong em
Na i ron namel insait long bus
Antap long lip na han bilong diwai

Lait bilong san emi pundaun ikam
Na i traim long sutim pinga igo insait
Long simuk iron antap long bik bus
Em nau ikirapim paialait olsem gol
Na kainkain kalakala i mekim ai long pas

Harim ol pisin i singsing gut turu
Ol i pairap antap long het bilong diwai
We ol i danis painim wara long lip diwai
Em bai inapim pisin ol iet tu ikam long heven
Na i silip long bik bus, emi kamap haus bilong ol

Ol rokrok tu i singsing long bus
Na ol bulagau i karai antap moa iet
Em nau ol welabus bilong nait
Igo silip driman long wanwan ples hait
Na muruk tasol emi dring buswara long graun

Tasol pinga bilong san emi sot tumas
Na kolwin tu bai ino inap brukim bus
Wara bilong bus emi sindaun oltaim
We ol klaut i silip antap long lip diwai
Eh, big bus long maunten emi nais tumas

Mountain Forest

JIMMY AWAGL

The tropical rainforest
Stretching up the slope
Tree tops shrouded in cloud
Offering a misty canopy
Drifting through the leaves

The sun’s descending rays
Spreading their radiant fingers
Touching the hovering vapour
Flaring before us in a golden spray
Blinding our eyes in a rainbow spectrum

The sweet melody of dawn birds
Cascades as they sit atop the branches
In quest of fresh dew hanging on the leaves
To satiate these heavenly creatures
Of the forest, their natural home

Forest frogs croaking 
Jungle cicadas shrieking
While nocturnal creatures
Have retired in a hollow to dream
Cassowaries kiss the dew of earth

Yet all the rays fail to penetrate
The wind does not spear through
Dew remains for all day long
Mist hovering overhead for hours
What a splendid mountain forest

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