Pikipiki hama kae vaevae manava - Karlo Mila

Pikipiki hama kae vaevae manava
- Karlo Mila

The same wish
slipped into each disc
of my back

I hoped you'd bring balance
like an outrigger
we would move
double hulled
through life

you would keep me sure and swift
on a surface of glistening water
water melting into water
melody running into blue
blye sinking deep into ocean

I dreamed of balance on such a surface
I dreamed of the feeling of floating

the same wish
slipped into each disc
of my back

now I'm stretching

falling through open arms
melting into fluid
into foam
lungs flooded with fear

if i pulled each wish
from my back
one by one
maybe
I might
float buoyant
on the strength of my own spine



Karlo Mila is of Tongan, Palangi and Samoan descent. She was born in Rotorua, grew up in Palmerston North and now lives and works in Auckland. She has had poetry published in Whetu Moana, Best New Zealand Poems 2003, Short Fuse: The Global Anthology of Fusion Poetry, the Listener and Coffee and Coconuts. Karlo performs live poetry regularly.

http://nixie1.livejournal.com/tag/karlo%20mila