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  • E-mailing Albert
  • Selina Tusitala Marsh (bio)

There’s no pictures on the door. I need pictures on the door! My mokopuna wears Nike. How come nobody laughs around here? I don’t think they like me. My mokopuna wears Nike. Maybe they’re scared of me. Have you made them scared of me? My mokopuna wears Nike. Maybe they think I’m here because of Equity. Am I here because of Equity? My mokopuna wears Nike. Did they push me through because of you? My mokopuna wears Nike. Have they pushed me out because of you? My mokopuna wears Nike. Do they think I’m gonna spit the “R” word at them in the staffroom? My mokopuna wears Nike. There’s nobody like me. No one’s doing this kind of thing. My mokopuna wears Nike. There are no windows in this place. Can’t breathe. My mokopuna wears Nike. Can’t even think. Do they think I can’t think? Am I starting to think like them? My mokopuna wears Nike. How’d you do it? For 20 years! How? My mokopuna wears Nike. Can’t do this. It’s just too hard. My mokopuna wears Nike. Why? Why? Why does he wear Nike?! Just Do It. [End Page 252]

Selina Tusitala Marsh

Selina Tusitala Marsh specializes in Māori and Pacific literature at the University of Auckland. Her first collection of poetry, Fast Talking pi (2009), made the New Zealand best-seller list. She coordinates Pasifika Poetry Web, an audiovisual-oriented archival Web site for poetry, through the New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre.

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