Turtle Island Poem Number Fourteen
By Dan Taulapapa McMullin
once i left turtle island and i
rejoined la and doubleU and see
to savai‘i on a hunting trip
on the fairy from upolu
la picked up a day trick
blew him during lunch
on the beach under a tree
in front of some australian girls
and an old couple from germany
who politely ignored us
while doubleU and see and i
made afternoon conversation
when we got to la’s beach house
that night la wanted us
to share her trick like a joint
there was nearly an argument
but doubleU and i took the truck instead
and a case of beer, ‘ua ka se fia?
ka se fia? leai. leai. leai. sole!
met some fishermen
i set my sights on the one who
looked like tall samoan jesus
although the little lead fisherman chose me instead
at the beach house we played the game
of love, girls on our side
boys their side
la’s day trick already
disappeared, at some point that night
la’s aunt and girl cousin dropped by
and la pushed me and my two fishermen
into one of the darkened bedrooms
we made love silently the three of us
while la talked loudly in the kitchen
with his aunt and cousin
when the kinswomen left
la and doubleU came in to comment
on my lovemaking performance like film critics
i smiled but they took jesus away
that’s when i realized the little fisherman
who stayed sending them off
was the most
beautiful
boy
i’d ever met, some times
it takes a while
to realize this about
some
one