Here is something amazing...
Associate Professor Selina Tusitala Marsh is an Officer of the New Zealand Order Of Merit for services to Poetry, Literature, and the Pacific Community.
We have been lucky enough to meet Selina when we were guest speakers at Auckland University for a Women’s Empowerment workshop, and she also attended our ‘Safe For Life’ course.
Selina is an amazing person with an enormous heart (and a scary elbow-strike).
Here is the poem which Selina wrote for us after attending the course. It totally blew us all away and is one of the most beautiful gifts we have ever received. Enjoy...
‘Inner Wild’ by Selina Tusitala Marsh
for Phil and the Protect Self Defence Team
Today you gave us permission
To unleash the inner wild
To let the primordial animal rage
To protect the inner child
Because knowledge is power
You told us about Recognition
The 7 signs of survival
Most of all you gave us permission
To value our instinct
That shadowy inner voice
That whisper of ill feeling
Still giving us a choice
If he’s in the wrong place
If something just doesn’t sit right
If he creeps you out just because
If you think ‘yeah, nah, she’ll be right’
If you feel you’re being paranoid
If you’re scared you’ll make a scene
That’s your instinct sounding
Its primal defensive scream
If the hairs on the back of your neck rise
If for a second, you hesitate
If you just don’t feel good about the situation
If you catch yourself thinking ‘no, wait’
If he ignores all your Nos
Keeps coming into your space
Makes promises you never asked for
All with a smile on his face
Is determined to tell you his business
Then turns it into yours
Throws out a subtle insult
(Was it? You’re not really sure...)
If he wants you to pay up on a deal
That you just didn’t make
Girl, hands up, get ready to fight
You’re his mouse, he’s the snake
Someone’s going to get f-cked up
But its not going to be you
You sat this course, you walked the talk
You know what to do
He’s no longer friend or relative
Colleague or even man
He’s a walking, ticking time bomb
You’ve got the blueprint plan
Not only to disarm the bomb
But to completely obliterate
To wipe this lowlife off the earth
Now -- before it’s too late
Yes, it’s true they say the eyes
Are the windows to the soul
They’re also soft, jelly-like orbs
Floating in two big holes
Punch your palm up to the face
Scratch your fingers down the flesh
Find the holes, find the orbs,
Scratch, pierce, press
Punch palm up under chin
Rip the ear off, pivot the neck
Spin it full force away from you
Hopefully it clickety clicks
Elbow to face, to throat, to nose
Knee to groin, to stomach, to chest
Foot through shin, kick to thigh
Teeth to finger, to any flesh
Arm becomes a hammer
Face becomes the nail
Pound with all your weight behind
Pushing forward in a hail
Of punches, stabs, scratches
Bite the ear, the neck, and yell
Scream viciously your animal sound
He’s now your prey now
Crush the testes with iron fist
Wrench the roots from tree
Grab hold the finger or thumb
Sideways yank the bone free
Attack attack attack attack
Till he can’t get up any more
Look around for others
Then run for the light, road, or door
Instinct is your best defense
Knowledge is your second
Your wild inner animal fighter
Is the last to be beckoned
But should she rise if needed
Let her rage with full force
She may save your life one day
It’s why you did this course.
❤️ Thank you Selina.
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