JOHN KAUPA KAMASUA
An entry in the Crocodile Prize
Kina Securities Award for Poetry
A beautiful gift, a powerful gift
Is within you, somewhere, each one of you - if you dare to explore
A gift to reach heights not reached before,
And to go where no one has before gone;
A gift
To paint the sky, and ride on waves
Join the wind in a whisper, and paint a sunset
To love for love itself,
Fall to rise again
And play with words;
And to educate and inform, with a wonderful gift
A beautiful gift to grow wings of thoughts
To fly to the ends of the earth even when at your table,
To be really free when you choose to – like the eagle!
And surprise yourself with your creations,
Paint your experiences like no one ever before you
This is a gift, a gift of love - the gift of writing
Don’t take it lightly, yet not too seriously,
Rest if you must but pick it up again, playfully - yet with a stern hand
You` must, find it within – each of you
You only need to reach that place
And take a journey,
It’s a beautiful journey - it can be
A creative journey, a serious journey – to a beautiful place
Some to rebuke, and give a critique,
Others to weave a song and, craft a poem;
You can write her story, his story, and your story – a history
And tell a good tale;
A thing of beauty, but
Equally capable of condemning, and enslaving
And yet also for giving hope - especially hope!
It’s a power!
Feel its creative force in your being
Escape the realities often, or capture them in a new light
Surprise yourself with your creations,
And color the world anew like no one before you,
It is a gift; a beautiful gift, a powerful gift
It is the beautiful power of writing!