Singatoka Sunday

(Fiji about 1976)

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