The threat to language & biological knowledge in PNG
How colonial radio came to PNG

Standing Stupidly

Poet doveMICHAEL DOM
| An Illumination in English and Tok Pisin

Standing stupidly
You stand at the door
Belonging to God and pray
What for don’t you knock

Perhaps it is that
He’s too great a being
For you to rap on his door

And look
How many people
Are also waiting there

There is the Marape government
And on the other side
Those church pastors

I thought that
They worked with God
But they are shy at the door

And those who dress themselves
In the black and red gowns
They stand there like wooden posts

At ground level
They are the boss of law and justice
But here they have no seats

Look at the scholars
They bend their knees
And their heads are bowed deeply

I think God must be reading
Each of the papers they wrote
And will give their marks soon

Those shouting people
Those are the prayer warriors
Giving him various jobs to do

That’s because they are the true children
Of God, and the saints
Who rebuke the evil spirits

They are all waiting at the door
So God will come and see them
And give them glory for their virtues

But look here
One of those guys who writes poems
Walks right up to the door

He knocks, takes off his shoes
And without waiting for God’s greeting
He opens the door and walks inside

Hear it now
Two men are talking back and forth
Saying bad words and having a good talk too

And then that guy who writes poems
Comes out and calls back loudly
“OK God, I’ll try”, and then he goes off

 

Sanap Longlong

Sanap longlong
Yu sanap long dua
Bilong Anutu na beten
Wat po yu less long knok-knok

Ating em imas
Bikpela man tumas
Long yu paitim dua bilong em

Na lukim
Hamaspela lain
Ol tu i wet istap

Em ia Marape gavman
Na long hapsait
Ol pastol bilong sios

Mi ting olsem
Ol i wanwok bilong Anutu
Tasol ol i sem long dua

Na ol lain bilasim ol iet
Wantaim blek o ret gaun
Ol sanap olsem ol diwai pos

Long ples giraun
Ol i bosim lo na jastis
Tasol long hia ol inogat sia

Lukim ol save man-meri
Ol tu i brukim skru
Na het igo daun olgeta

Ating Anutu imas ridim
Wanwan pepa ol ibin raitim
Na bai givim ol mak klostu

Ol bik maus lain
Em ol prayer warrior
I givim wokmak long em

Long wanem ol i pikinini tru
Bilong Anutu, na ol saints
I save rausim ol spirit nogut

Olgeta ol i wet long dua
Bai Anutu ikam lukim ol
Na givim ol glori long mak

Tasol lukim ia
Wanpela man bilong tok-singsing
Wokabaut ikam long dua

Emi knok-knok, rausim su
Na ino wet long Anutu bekim
Opim dua tasol na igo insait

Poet godHarim nau
Tupela man i toktok igo ikam
Tok nogut wantem gutpela toktok

Em nau dispela man bilong tok-singsing
Ikam autsait na singaut strong igo bek
"Ok Anutu, bai mi traim", na em igo pinis

Comments

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Lindsay F Bond

Anchored on Ghryme
Answered in wrime
A-tasted on thyme
Accessed in time
Authored for climb
Attempts sublime
Assessed by prime
Assailed as crime?
Where ache-angles fear the dread?

Michael Dom

As ever, Lindsay, I need to be 'in the flow' when reading your rhymes.

I like 'ache-angle' and I'm going to have to quote it from you someday.

Lindsay F Bond

Oh good god, Michael,
same name’s patronage
of my firstborn son,
your words wreathe

Of inquired ache-angle,
fame game’s fosterage
of shy folks’ slack run,
your wreathed words

O’er gowned gazed gallants
maim, flamed language
of wry flails, fav’d none
your words wreaked.

May flawed be merciful.

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