Lingua Plicata by Janette Dadd

Janette Dadd reads her poem 'Lingua Plicata' (fissured tongue).

This poem appears in 34-37 Degrees South 2025 - An Anthology of Poetry from members of the South Coast Writers Centre. 

Fresh words brought to you by the South Coast Writers Centre

Transcript

Lingua Plicata (fissured tongue) by Janette Dadd

         Forbidden to speak your words, no words of language.

         Forced to twist tongue into strange patterns, no natural rolling 

of sounds in mouth, only strange words spat out in fissured tongue’s frustration.

         Country always sings its songlines and dreamings filling your 

         hollow heart with its murmurings as ghostlike it enters – calling you back.

                                    Tongue flickers, finding its way.

         New land, gifting safety and security, but not home.

         Old language gurgles down the plug hole

of opportunity so tongue must twist to different palate placings that fissure heritage. 

         Only in familial landscapes and dreamscape fantasy 

does this fissured tongue regain eloquence. 

                  Tongue tells its tale.

So long I have walked this land, footprints cannot be traced 

         to ‘old country.’ It is this place that holds my heart, my tears.

         Belonging, but with no songlines to massage my tongue.

         A white artifact, clinging to unwarranted histories, scared to let go

 in case I see I am floating above, belonging nowhere 

 fissured tongue concealing the truth

 flickering skin-coloured privilege.