Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Day 20: ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi

their eyes widen when the water falls out
ocean spilling vowels through me
kaona spurting from the salt
classmates stutter in silence
trying to repeat
sound locked in their shackle shaped lips

they do not know
the way their english barely breaches the surface
and i find it ironic
that i have been chosen
an artist in a mode
dictated by the superficiality of colonial tongues

for the first time in over 4 years
i find myself isolated by translation
remembering how comfortable i am in this crater
laying my body in the curve of Haumea's tongue
and yet, in contrast
how self conscious i have become of my presentation
and the way the others gaze
scopophelia spilling from the iridescence of their irises
making me sculpter like
walls building around me, a museum

until i am still again
silent
letting only the english
breach the crest


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