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47 Fa‘a Fafine Poem Number Five When we moved from the United States Territory of American Samoa to the United States of America, I, a small fa‘afafine child should act like an American boy because we were not in Samoa any more But I met an older Cuban boy who showed me his boner holder and fell in love making until our fathers, both drill sergeants, found out and I was the one blamed dancing naked about the bathtub in a shower of leather whacks kicked out wandering that night, spit on by the other boys on bikes falling asleep outside the front door until my mother and sisters came down the stairs When no one was looking standing on my toes I kissed the painting of Jesus beautiful English face I kissed him on his red red lips again and again, with his rosy white movie star skin and black Irish hair His kisses forgave me filled me with American peace and love Among the fa‘afafine immigrants in the United States as children girls in Samoa as adults Gay American men, giving you this, the surface ...

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