a nutshell: across eight stanzas, Nauruan poet Joanne Ekamdeiya Gobure shares what she believes her religion is all about – compassion for others
a line: “I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn’t granted, it is learned”
an image: at one point the poet is told she must grow on her own but God would prune her to make her fruitful, which struck me as a curious image
a thought: as I finished this poem and started to read more on Nauru, I discovered today marks the 7th anniversary of Australia’s decision to resume transferring asylum seekers offshore, including to Nauru – today, still, almost 400 people have to choose between enduring horrific conditions in Nauru/PNG or being forced back to conflict/persecution where they came from (read about Nauru’s history here)
a fact: formerly known as Pleasant Island, this is the world’s smallest island nation with around 10,800 residents; according to this report, just under two-thirds of the population is Protestant and one-third is Catholic
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