Tusiata Avia – on embracing a new year post lockdown.
Words from someone who really knows how to sum things up
On the year just been
two thousand twenty one
numbers
the pictures behind your eyes
take another breath
strain the air
through your mask
and breathe out
smile
smile behind your mask
and breathe
breathe out waiata
breathe in
the moana
even though it has been far away
breathe
in every kind of weather
and from the inside of your house
again
breathe out
your moko kauae
or your mokos
or the ones you are yet to have
breathe in
ata bark, mangrove inks, pandanus seeds
breathe out the place where it hurts
and breathe
breathe in
the conservatoire on the inside
the conservatoire on the outside
breathe in the darkest corners
breathe in them
breathe in
the alofa
and the aroha
and the amore
and breathe out
beauty and burden
into the theatre
of all things
into the invention
of a new year
*Poem contains references (sometimes, rather obliquely) to some of the works by artists who were awarded in 2021
