endings
something’s about to change
to be wrapped up
the final period inked
and what can you possibly say
to leave this chapter satisfactorily?
what last rituals, goodbyes, reflections,
exiting bits of dialogue
can prepare you and your reader
for who you will be next?
one last SP
a final cold shower
a salute to the ribbon-tailed
then a return to English tongues
This poem is inspired by the Be Jijimo Gallery at the National Gallery & Art Museum in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The museum gives this explanation written by Professor John Waiko for the term be jijimo: “Be is literally ‘mouth’. Jijimo is ‘sustaining continuity’. Jijimo may be used by a person who has only one sucker of a particular taro variety; then jijimo is absolutely essential. He must sustain the sucker or that variety of taro will be lost to the community. In the legend, Rirowa, the husband gave the advice, ‘be jijimo’, keep the fire alight by blowing on it. But used as an abstract term, be jijimo means ‘sustaining’ or ‘keeping alive by word of mouth’.
be jijimo
I open my mouth
and pencil comes out
in descending diagonal lines
slidenotes aiming to
capture the essence
of what it’s like to be
here now
on inadvertently failing to write
the * in the record book
imperfection makes us real
fallible human distracted
why is it that I
didn’t sing the day last night?
so many reasons
with so little merit
it is what it is
keep calm and
as Cedar would say
be awesome
chatelaine
what does a woman
without pockets need?
a silver chain
clasped at the waist
suspending perfume
smelling salts
beeswax for her lips
(all vanity)
but also,
paper and pencil:
we’re not so different
after all
