Kailua Crystals

(for Sinavaiana, tragically taken too soon)

I walked into Kailua
Crystals, thinking of you,

The stones and essential oils
You packed, along with your

Yoga mat, for our work trip
To Savai’i, a small apothecary

In your beach fale, and I had
A heavy head and you said

‘Come, darling, come’ and rubbed
Frankincense on my pulse points

Fingers cooing in soft circles,
‘There, darling, there’ and we sat

By the ocean, sipping niu and crunching
Salty potato chips and later walked

Out to the blow holes at
Taga i Savai’i and your

Spirit animal, the matu’u,
A moon-silver reef heron

Landed on a rock before you
Calling ‘See you soon, sister, see you soon.’

Selina Tusitala Marsh

Selina Tusitala Marsh is a poet, scholar and author-illustrator of the award-winning series Mophead. She is this year’s Katherine Mansfield Menton fellow.