At the Othman Affan Ibn Street
Lights
By Maniue Vilsoni (Written on 9 November 2007 in Al
Ameriya, UAE)
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Relaxing in the Abu Dhabi University
Men's cafeteria |
Past Al Alain Mall
the Othman Affan Ibn Street lights winked RED
then stared with authority at my Lancer;
traffic zoomed past:
Dubai-bound
Al Jimi-bound
elsewhere-bound
commuters in Friday transit:
Emirati, Egyptian, Jordanian, Iraqi
Syrian, Omani, Lebanese
Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan, Iranian, expats
attired in khandura, abaya, suit, casuals
'n' a stray Rotuman in tropical bula,
stationary in centre lane.
On my left a Runner steadied his bike
gloves on throttle
ready to fork into the U-Turn
back ramrod straight
weapon holstered;
I thought of Vama on a Fiji Salus Populi bike
doing a tyre-screeching three-sixty turn
in front of Fatty's up USP hill
wowing the sinas from Apia 'n' Tongatapu
I thought of Rotuma's sandy roads
where kids could eye-dee the bi-ki
by the sound of his engine's vroom-broom;
Kerese's BSA from Noa'ia-'e-tau way was a super relic,
Master Tama's Honda was the biggie in the rally,
then the flood of Kawasakis from Wing Lee gave
the modern ha'raus wheels
'n' nocturnal thrills,
Ah, Ro-tu-mah!
Suddenly RED turned to GREEN
'n' the feller behind me peeped his horn
for I was still fiddling with the stereo's knob
upping the volume
of Churchward Chapel Choir's rendition of
Saione hanua helavat…..
the polotu hymn guided me
as I weaved through the mad-rush Middle East traffic.
I sang along with the tenor-basses
with: Pelu, Bibi, Tui 'n' Tonu in harmonious acappella
'n' felt a salty tear trickle down
my Upu face….
for home 'n' the kais were half a world away.
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