13. May, 2011 
Michael, the author, and friends in front of his house
These two poems were written and read to us by our fantastic guide on two successive mornings in the Mount Hagen area of PNG.
By MW = Michael Moge Agilca Kundumb Keping Wandau
(Or Michael of the Moge tribe, Agilca clan, Kundumb sub-clan, Wandau Keping family)
Day (1) in Kange Country
White clouds of fog and mist everywhere Tender whistle of a dawn parrot Mystic winds blow on the mountaintops To carry on the dreams of aspirant travelers All on the top of the Kubor Range is Rondon Ridge Hagen is the house of a thousand parables Falling into a culture of colour and beauty The strange-looking mudmen in fierce masks While dancing to the beat of the Kundu drum And, keep inflating the traveling soccer ball Thus, a primitive social structure of pigs and kina Shells is much interest, however, the spiritual beliefs And, the curable powers of witchdoctor is fascinating With the obsidian stone-axe displaying strength And, the bamboo “necktie” is a symbol of wealth Perhaps the local cassowary is not forgotten Magnificent colours of orchids, paradise ginger plants Including the red, yellow and paradise poinsettia Meet friendly people and smiling faces In markets, villages and the roadside And, that was day one (1) for the Whites in Kange countryDay Two (2) in Kange Country
Morning sunshine over green fertile valleys Surrounded by majestic blue mountains Ranging from the Kubor to the Bismark Glimpsing the never end stretch of beauty Gardens, primitive huts and lovely people. Far beyond the white clouds of fun and joy The museum of shields, spears and kina shell Of human-figured of natural spirit stones With skulls of both the important and the unrevenged And, a traditional chief of many wives and wealth Through, the blue sky, you can see a rainbow Outshining every other colours that ever dawned From culture to customs and language barriers Far away from the oceans of noise and pollution And, find perfect harmony in a natural setting Even though, the ground is wet, muddy and dirty Hard-working and friendly people tend for agriculture Perhaps, white man have come to stay With greetings from the Birds of Paradise That, will charm the ears, to win the tender hearts Of the travelling Whites in the last frontier on Earth.
The Chief greets Reis
2 Responses to “PNG Poetry”