Skip to content

Scottish Poetry Library

Register/Sign in
Shopping Bag Shopping Bag
Bringing people and poems together
  • Home
  • COVID-19
    • Re-Opening FAQ
  • Poetry
    • Poems
    • Poets
    • Our National Poet
    • Podcasts
    • Best Scottish Poems
    • Poetry and Mindfulness
    • Champions 2020
    • Posters
    • Publishers
  • Library
    • Become a borrower
    • Catalogue
    • Collections
    • Ask a librarian
    • Copyright enquiries
  • Learning
    • National Poetry Day 2019
    • National Poetry Day archive
    • SQA set texts
    • Learning resources
    • New to poetry?
    • Advice for poets
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Exhibitions
    • Venue hire
    • List an event
  • Shop
    • Scotland’s Makar
    • Poetry Pamphlet Cards
    • Pocket Poets
    • Scottish Poetry
    • Help
  • About us
    • Our story
    • Our people
    • Our projects
    • Jobs
    • Our building
    • FAQs
    • Find us
  • Support us
    • Become a Friend
    • Donate
    • Easy Fundraising
  • Blog
Shopping BagShopping Bag
Ask a librarian
  • Home
  • >
  • Poetry
  • >
  • Emelihter Kihleng
  • >
  • I Follow Her
Donate Donate icon Ask a Librarian Ask a Librarian icon

I Follow Her

Emelihter Kihleng

we have to go call a taxi
the light by the store isn’t working
the night is black
the moon is dark tonight
I follow her scent
she knows the way
into and over the rocks
around the betel nut and coconut palms

you just arrived from Hawai’i
and here you are walking around in the dark

she laughs currents that echo
our voices flow down the river
through the mango leaves
over to Pohn Paip and up to Pohn Pwet

I follow her short, plump figure
the glimmer of the flowers on her mwumwu
her breath
the night air, clean
when we reach the road
I look up at Saladak stars


Emelihter Kihleng

from My Urohs (Honolulu: Kahuaomānoa Press, 2008)

Reproduced by kind permission of the author.

Tags:

Hawaii journeys Micronesia night sensations strangers

About this poem

This poem, representing the Federated States of Micronesia, is part of The Written World – our collaboration with BBC radio to broadcast a poem from every single nation competing in London 2012.

Share this
Facebook
Twitter
Email

Learn more

Emelihter Kihleng

Emelihter Kihleng was born on Guam and raised in Pohnpei Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam and in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her first collection of poetry, My Urohs, was published in 2008 by Kahuaomanoa Press in Hawaii. Kihleng currently lives...
More about Emelihter Kihleng

Online Shop

Browse our range of poetry books, cards and gifts in our online shop.
Shop now

Newsletter

Sign up for Scottish Poetry Library\\\'s regular email newsletter.
Subscribe now
  • Newsletter signup
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Scottish Poetry Library
5 Crichton's Close, Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DT
Tel: +44 (0)131 557 2876
© Scottish Poetry Library 2021.
The Scottish Poetry Library is a registered charity (No. SCO23311).
City of Edinburgh logo Green Arts Initiative logo Creative Scotland logo
By leaves we live

The Scottish Poetry Library is staffed weekdays from 10am – 2pm and is providing a limited service including postal loans and Click & Collect. For details, click COVID-19 in the menu bar above. Dismiss