For Fetūolemoana Tamapeau

​

 

we all, move like we got the swell of the pacific flowing inside our skin

 

we all, high fives, electric slides, one, two steps

 

we all, big hair don’t carryah 

throw your hands in the aiiryaah

 

we all, making crop circles on the dance floor

 

taking

                                                                             up

                                                                                                                             space

                    tonight

 

                                                          we

 

        are
                                                                                                            the

                                                                                                                                                                                        

            Milky

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                               Way

 

we all, skuxx gods                                                                                                    

we all, stop, drop, and roll

we all, not many if any, not many if any

we all, in the gutter churning butter into diamonds

we all, come break my chains come help me out
we all, nesians are you with me

 

we all, ancestor prophecies. star dreaming philosophies. anchors for the metaphysical. bloodlines soaked in holy ritual.

 

we all, descendents of universe weavers. revolutionary thinkers. wayfinding teachers. emancipation conceivers. master crafters. visionary artists

 

we all, academic intellects. freedom fighter architects. political trailblazers. artistic game changers. effervescent orators. land protectors. ego neglectors.

 

we all, unbury our tongues, say, come as you are. come heavy with shame. come soaking in regret. come afraid of the past. come eager to learn.

 

we all, know the reasons we shrink. the weight of grief. losing to survive. fighting to thrive.

 

we all, sculpt our table with ancestor ivory.

we all, smorgasbord our dishes with grass roots wisdom.

we all, centrepiece the knowledge we found digging in our backyards.

we all, pass plates through many hands piled high with helpings of one another.

we all, vine our way to joy.

we all, root ourselves in laughter that lifts the room.

we all, wear smiles that stretch the horizon.

we all, blanket the sun like it belongs to us.

we all, mosaic each other back together.

 

we all, know this is how we begin.