A primaquatrain triad
BY MICHAEL DOM WITH HIRI MOTU TRANSLATION BY CLIFTON AND RUTH GWABU
Hiri Hanenamo ena koe Eh, Hiri Hanenamo Huimu latana namo hereana Ese matagu eme paia Bona kudougu eme hamarerea emu koe ramina odaveamu na heto Name gini niu laini gabanai Bena gaba regena name kamonaia mirigini ena to ai Toh ina na egu helalo lou ai kudougu eheta ehude ehude Eh, Hiri Hanenamo Bena hanuaboi ai na nihi hereadae na ta laiamu Imamu nadogoa Bona helalo lou nadu ariamu Huimu latana namo hereana Nauram baina hereva toh, Gadogu vada eme kaukau Egu lalohadae eme ore lalogu ena hisihisi Ese matagu eme paia O taunimanima, dina ese kwaragu eme gabua Emu koe ai niu karu na heto Matamu ese eme polagu Bona kudougu eme hamarerea emu koe ramina odaveamu na heto *Special thank you to Gou Gari of Hanuabada for her reading and confirmation of this poem translation. Hiri Hanenamo emi danis Eh, meri nambis ia Longpela garas bilong yu Emi tanim ai bilong mi Na tromoi lewa olsem purpur Mi sanap arere long lain kokonas Na harim win i sak sakim kundu Em lewa tasol i paraip taim mi tingim Eh, meri nambis ia Bihain long nait mi driman gut tru Long holim han bilong yu Na mi ting olsem mi pul pulim Longpela garas bilong yu Tasol taim mi laik toktok Nek bilong mi drai nating Tingting i sot na bel hevi Emi tanim ai bilong mi Olomania, san imas kukim het Taim yu danis mi kamap kulau Ai bilong yu i katim mi Na tromoi lewa olsem purpur Hiri Hanenamo dances Oh, coastal girl Your long flowing hair Spins my eyes around And tosses my heart like your grass skirt I stand along the coconut grove And hear the drums thru the wind But it is my heart beating in recall Oh, coastal girl Later at night I dream sweetly Of holding your hand And think that I am combing Your long flowing hair But when I try to speak My throat suddenly gets dry I can’t think, my belly feels so bad it Spins my eyes around Oh man, the sun has cooked my brain When you dance I am a green coconut Your eyes cut through me And tosses my heart like your grass skirt
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