"tinmad" poems
“but if you have to move your best friend’s body…
…you’re on your own.”
Your best friend dies
Before your eyes
Somehow stays alive
Then what?
***** salt-licked hair
Brittle and frayed by medicine
World’s unfathomable weight
Trembling beneath the Wisdom Tree
Her whole being crumples (arrugar)
But her life-force remains intact
Body bone
Running on spirit reserves
Why is that?
She stands and cries
Staring into ether
I sit
Wringing my hands
Her tears strike the ground
In tree-gecko unison
'''
Pacific parasite super-strains
Blood coated throat
The full range of abuse’s color on all fronts
for decades
Attempted assaults, ****
Dengue
Giant Centipede venom to the skull
But worst of all
Rootlessness and fear
the monkey on her back
had a monkey on its back
and was smoking a cigarette
'''
Have you ever seen someone
Completely broken?
Corpsic shell of a woman
Gaunt, wan in the tropics
“Don’t put your trust in walls…
…walls will only crush you when they fall”
Brick-bludgeoned body
The shrapnel lay like
Sun scorched
Novice-woven baskets
At her feet
But now she can see
And breath
Real breath
'''
Genocide’s a ***** yes.
Africans seem fatalistic to Americans
Baby boy body, Grandpa human- shield
“They’re your babies”
Short-lived, yes
But now they have peace
Witnesses still weave the jungle
What do you do with a friend who’s
Seen real atrocity? Evil?
'''
I’m learning.
Prayer is power
Will transcends the concrete (Bunkle, too.)
She serves realness only
Her seeking hands unweave the sacred
Time is of no luxury right now
Serve people through love
and Grace awaits discovery
'''
I’ve never carried a bleeding body.
I needn’t “fear the terror by night,
Nor the arrow by day”
But I saw someone perish
And resurrect
What a gift
What a gift
Gubaadagem, Tinmad.
Mar 5, 2013
Mar 5, 2013 at 1:45 PM UTC
i love you.
i love you.
i love you.
you prepared me for this
and i can't decide whether
it's ok for me to feel as relieved
as I do when I am not crying
i've never felt so much instant pain
and relief all at once
so confusing-- my ****** lady
who walks like a trucker
piebald nightcaps
tree terrace
800+ hours
miles upon miles of cigarettes
dengue.
my heart.
my heart.
you brought me to Christ
you showed that God is love
you've left such a huge rainbow
in the earth's clay
i miss you
i want you
but I don't need you now
you know that
we know that
my heart.
you dreamt me and robbie
will one day meet
we will
and it won't be incredibly soon
--but it doesnt matter.
promise brothers
promise sister
Ngariy.
please hug Tithinfal for me
i'm glad you are with him now
im trying to go to Yap on Tuesday
for a week to see Ray and Celine
and the kids
to see Tingin
our spots the island wide
the tunnel behind peace corps
i inadequatley described to you
but that you can now see
and feel
with ****** yapese local music
blaring in the background
i'll be fine
you know I will
with heart on fire
I reach out to you tonight
all nights.
i'll find Zeyto
i'll hug him
those eyes
i'll sit in Gilin's kitchen and chainsmoke
i'll make you proud
i'll spread your word
i'll spread your message
i'll spread your love
i'll make it to Africa
and ill see you again
before we both know it
i love you.
and i'm good
ill learn to dance with a limp
rug baadagem ni odig, tinmad
gu baadagem.
forever
forever
forever
go rest
Aug 12, 2013
Aug 12, 2013 at 7:45 AM UTC
i love you.
i love you.
i love you.
you prepared me for this
and i can't decide whether
it's ok for me to feel as relieved
as I do when I am not crying
i've never felt so much instant pain
and relief all at once
so confusing-- my ****** lady
who walks like a trucker
piebald nightcaps
tree terrace
800+ hours
miles upon miles of cigarettes
dengue.
my heart.
my heart.
you brought me to Christ
you showed that God is love
you've left such a huge rainbow
in the earth's clay
i miss you
i want you
but I don't need you now
you know that
we know that
my heart.
you dreamt me and robbie
will one day meet
we will
and it won't be incredibly soon
--but it doesnt matter.
promise brothers
promise sister
Ngariy.
please hug Tithinfal for me
i'm glad you are with him now
im trying to go to Yap on Tuesday
for a week to see Ray and Celine
and the kids
to see Tingin
our spots the island wide
the tunnel behind peace corps
i inadequatley described to you
but that you can now see
and feel
with ****** yapese local music
blaring in the background
i'll be fine
you know I will
with heart on fire
I reach out to you tonight
all nights.
i'll find Zeyto
i'll hug him
those eyes
i'll sit in Gilin's kitchen and chainsmoke
i'll make you proud
i'll spread your word
i'll spread your message
i'll spread your love
i'll make it to Africa
and ill see you again
before we both know it
i love you.
and i'm good
ill learn to dance with a limp
rug baadagem ni odig, tinmad
gu baadagem.
forever
forever
forever
go rest
Aug 12, 2013
Aug 12, 2013 at 7:45 AM UTC
tinmad--mogfan e baa e ameeth?
bu uw e ameeth rom?
uw lulegem?
uw soul rom?
uw spirit rom?
heart? odim?
mangil e time ko message nag uw inbox rog.
wenig ngom a chiney.
kug kireb thinking about you.
message nag e chiney or as soon as you can.
wenig ngom.
wenig ngom.
kammagar ko time rom.
kammagar ko love rom.
kammagar ko understanding rom.
ma gubaadagem, tinmad.
gubadaagem.
gubaadagem
~ ~ ~
Love is patient/Love is kind
--Chultheg
...and don't forget to find your breath.
...
real breath.
May 27, 2013
May 27, 2013 at 10:10 PM UTC