Singatoka Sunday
pacific breeze
warm winds
palm trees
a village drum
summons sunday song.
naked bodies
and palm soap
cloud the river
while mangos
blush
burnt orange.
men first
then the women
unabashed
in their nakedness.
grey sulu
white shirt
white blouse hat and skirt
leather sandals all round
the village goes to church.
a still and solemn sunday
canoes drawn up
further than the sand
cold taro
cold yam
no fires
jesus rests today.
and in the west
that distant
and palm fringed island
a schooner
heeling
under full sail
as burnished sun
boils
where sky
collides with sea.
later, in fug of early evening
fruit bats circle
while quiet walk
and prayer
ends the day.
the sea breaks clumsily over the reef.
©Mike Subritzky
September 2001