Ode to an Adventist education
26 March 2022
SIMON DAVIDSON
I once walked the city’s dusty streets,
Homeless, aimless, penniless
Dropped-out, poor, no future,
Surviving on crumbs and goodwill
But with undying hope in my soul
I scraped a few coins to study,
And paid my way right through,
Sat in the university’s honoured halls
Now nothing to lose, all to win
And sensed God’s call in my life
I applied to the Adventists to continue
Accepted the offer to my dream school,
Literature never far from my heart
It was Pacific Adventist University
That handed me a ticket to success
But the journey was very far from over,
Gaining wisdom was self-help not beg,
Sweated in the Papuan sun to pay fees
to fulfil my desperation for literature
God and Enga had raised me for this
Sonoma shaped and formed literary me
Using my life’s experience as its palette,
And I bloomed in Sonoma’s fertile soil,
Given the best of an Adventist education
Preparation for life and for literature
Odes were once composed to celebrate victories, and later favoured by English romantic poets to express emotions in rich, descriptive language. Today, the ode describes any outpouring of praise. See: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101 - SD
Hi Keith. Thanks for your compliments. I enjoy reading and contributing to PNG Attitude.
I call the blog the 'haus man' of PNG writers.
A correction about the location of Pacific Adventist University (PAU) and Sonoma Adventist College in the second photo.
Both are located 20 kilometers from Port Moresby and Kokopo respectively. But PAU is not in Kokopo but Port Moresby, while Sonoma is located near Kokopo in East New Britain.
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Phew, I'm glad nobody asked me for directions, Simon. I'll fix the pic in the morning when I'm fresh and can work things out - KJ
Posted by: Simon Davidson | 28 March 2022 at 12:29 PM
I enjoyed this ode Simon, as I've enjoyed your other poems and written work.
The Pacific Adventist College, like Divine Word University, has contributed greatly to PNG literature. Latterly, perhaps even more than UPNG.
Posted by: Philip Fitzpatrick | 27 March 2022 at 08:25 AM