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Writer's pictureProtect Self Defence Team

‘Inner Wild’ by Selina Tusitala Marsh. Wow.

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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