Dear Matafele Peinam - Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner

dear matafele peinam
you are a seven month old sunrise of gummy smiles
you are bald as an egg and bald as the buddha
your thighs that are thunder and shrieks that are lightning
so excited for bananas, hugs and
our morning walks past the lagoon

My island lies o'er the ocean - Amata Kabua

My island lies o'er the ocean;
Like a wreath of flowers upon the sea;

Our Assorted Quarantines - Elizabeth Kate Switaj

I’m running thirty miles of quarantine with wandering pigs and semi

-feral dogs. Beach and coral and islets complete

the two-lane road’s atoll. You said that you were strangely proud

Grounded - Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner

Anchor yourself outside her room. A jaki
to sleep on, a cooler for drinks. Hands flexed
and prepared to ground her in this life.

Monster - Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner

Sometimes I wonder if Marshallese women are the chosen ones.

I wonder if someone selected us from a stack. Drew us out slow. Methodical. Then, issued the order:

Give birth to nightmares. Show the world what happens. When the sun explodes inside you.

Lavender Salt-Water - Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner

Waves of
contractions
crash
into me
crack me
open split
down the middle
I imagine
the eruption: a bulging
sack of slime and blood and
spit.
Do not measure
the breaths the minutes
the hours of clenched
fists curled toes
eyes pinched
shut tight
closed
Just inhale
the saving
Grace
of hot towels
dipped in sweet lavender
Dream of saltwater
orange fruit and sunsets
uncle clyde aunty kaka
mom hetine tamera
baby dukie all of us
that one picnic afternoon
that ordinary sunday
just think
of her
seeing it all
someday
and when she
is pulled
from my body
an army of white
coats shout
an order:
OPEN
YOUR
EYES
And there she is.

---

Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner (21st century) Marshall Islands
Source: Kathy's blog