
KAIVITI
I was born in paradise –
wind stroking coconut palms
surf spray on coral reef
sunshine blessing our skin.
Then we left.
I look back at that Eden
from my new country’s house
on its quarter-acre section
fenced off from neighbours.
It is lonely.
I have all mod-cons
plenty of stuff around me
but a hollow in my heart
for there’s no aiga –
that culture lost.
I was brought up to be
a brown-skinned Pākehā
(English father knew best)
but in my core I feel
I’m still kaiviti.
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