Published in Overland Issue 219 Winter 2015 · Uncategorized Cumming Selina Tusitala Marsh bloodgirl lived in a sleepy how town (with up all few bird words down) bloodgirl cleaned her skin with their bones carbon dirt diamond stone sleepy how town frowned and locked her far bloodgirl congealed, slipped through the bar painted her why on all whose doors carbon fire glass ore afakasi drew his many hows down (with flying whys and who shoulds around) afakasi marked her words, crossed her naughts crystal ruby sardonyx quartz questions inked (both big and small) bloodgirl and afakasi faced the wall scribed their hows, etched their mights alum galena bismuthinite Selina Tusitala Marsh Selina Tusitala Marsh is a poet and scholar. She was the first person of Pacific descent to graduate with a PhD in English from the University of Auckland, where she now lectures in Māori and Pacific literary studies. She established Pasifika Poetry, an online hub that celebrates the poetry of tagata o te moana nui, the peoples of the Pacific. More by Selina Tusitala Marsh › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays First published in Overland Issue 228 30 November 202330 November 2023 · Urbanism The Plains exposes the psychic terrain of Victoria’s highways Fred Pryce The Plains charts the psychic terrain of the freeway in miniature, peeling back the lid of the private vehicle to expose just one of the millions of dramas taking place in simultaneity, severed from one another yet still part of the same city-wide traffic ballet. First published in Overland Issue 228 29 November 202329 November 2023 · Housing Conflicts of classes and interests: why it’s vital for renters to organise — and tell our stories Jordie van den Berg Some of the stories that have already been shared on shitrentals.org show not only the horrible state of Australia’s housing landscape, with hundreds of images uploaded showing mould in its various stages of progression, caved-in ceilings and electrical work that could only be the product of a drunk landlord — but also the more insidious nature of the real estate industry.