EIGHT

Plea to the Spanish Lady

The people of Western Samoa were told that the sickness which eventually killed 22 percent of their population after World War I was called ‘The Spanish Lady’. This is one man’s plea.

 

Important streets fall before you

and now    Talune berthed in Apia

harbours your sway

Sway not our way    Lady

Such homage grieves us

 

Aboard Talune the Doctor examines

bodies propped by mail bags

Colonel Logan agrees

                             “Yes,

a sea-sick lot this one”.

The ocean is calm

 

Today the Samoan Times is all news:

death notices and a front page

Today the editor died

Today Teuila’s screams awoke me

as she lay between her parents

dipping fingers in their sweat

 

Her name means flower     Lady

see her tremble and wilt

We will bury her in lavalava

scented with frangipani

 

At Papauta Girls’ School desks are empty

Colonel Logan shouts “I do not care if they

are going to die. Let them die and go to Hell”.

American medicine is sent back unopened

 

He’s never cared for us    Lady

He’s not my brother in Christ He can’t be

Logs tumble, tumble from his eyes

Crosses bearing corpses swim in them

My flesh is moist    too moist

Who will harvest the taro and breadfruit?

Who will instruct the young?    Feed my children?

 

Don’t linger Spanish Lady

The trenches are full and

my family spills into the ocean

fevered and dazed

drowning at each other’s feet

Go now    Lady

We have fallen before you

 

SERIE (CHERIE) BARFORD