Bougainville Poetry: Innocent Still

By Leonard Fong Roka

In 1997, I was returning home after school from Arawa High School, when a bunch of wandering PNGDF soldiers met me and my two friends. One of them, a Tolai, looked me and a number of necklaces on my neck and said: ‘Hey, yu marit man?’ (Hey, are you are married man?).

They all laughed to our intimidated complexion as we fought to prevent tears trickling down our cheeks. After satisfying their need of molesting a trio of neatly uniformed Bougainvillean students they ordered us out of their sight.

 

INNOCENT STILL

The New Guinean barrel faces me

And my mouth waters.

The soldier teases me

And my ears burn…

But I am still innocent

Innocent as Jesus.

 

The New Guinean baton skins my head

And it bleeds furiously.

The policeman chains me up

And my wrist aches

But I am still innocent

Innocent as Jesus

 

The New Guinean law stool flattens me bums

And it loses me blood o’er.

The law man want me answers,

Yet I know no such crime

For I am still innocent; Innocent,

More than Jesus!