Drimtaim

DREAMTIME

Baimbai ol waitman i-singawt long mi: "Eldred."

ELDRED THEN BECAME MY NAME.

long skul, em i-singawt: "Van-Ooy."

VAN-OOY AT SCHOOL.

Behain mi go long haus, em i-singawt: "Abo."

"ABO" WHEN THE DAY LET OUT.

Yar kam na go. Olsem san. Olsem mun.

THE YEARS PASSED BY. LIKE SUNS. LIKE MOONS.

Drimtaim i-kam. Drimtaim i-go.

DREAMTIME CAME.  DREAMTIME WENT.

Na ol waitman i-no tokim mi em i-saevi Drimtaim.

BUT NO ONE SPOKE OF DREAMS TO ME.

Em i-tokim nem bilong olkain samting.

THEY ONLY SPOKE OF NAMING THINGS,

Em i-tokim: wan, tu, tri, wan, tu, tri, tasol.

AND NUMBERING.

Wantaim long skul mi tokim drim bilong mi.

ONE DAY AT  SCHOOL  I SPOKE OF DREAMS.

Tisa i-tokim mi olsem: Mi nogat saevi.

THE TEACHER ASKED

Yu tok Drimtaim long mi, orait, Drimtaim i-stap olsem,

IF DREAMTIME ALWAYS STAYED THE SAME,

Drimtaim i-no stap, olsem de?

OR CHANGED, LIKE DAY?

Mi tok: Drimtaim i-stap olsem de:

DREAMTIME IS THE SAME AS DAY I SAID:

olsem yu, dispela tebal, dispela buk, dispela skul

LIKE YOU, THIS DESK, THIS BOOK, THIS SCHOOL,

olsem olgeta samting  i-stap hir

LIKE EVERYTHING THAT WAITS ME HERE

olgeta taim mi wek long dispela rum.

EACH TIME I WAKE INSIDE THIS ROOM.

JAN 1, 1939