Manuali’i

Rex Letoa Paget acknowledges his family and loved ones in a heartfelt, open collection of poetry which brings together his Samoan/Dutch heritage and his search for identity. The tribute to his parents as two halves of his heart sets the scene for Letoa Paget’s poems of love and loss, connection and change, effortlessly linking ideas of identity and ancestry to the natural world and moments of everyday existence.

'Manuali’i' (Bird of the Gods) uses familiar language, code-switching seamlessly and crafting images which feel comfortable, poignant and personal.

The first section, Manuali’i, wanders across the page like thoughts, the layout reflecting how life’s rhythms meander. This morphs into section two, Icarus, which speaks songs of love in its many forms. The language of grief in the third section, Elysian Plains, offers an intimate view into Letoa Paget’s experience, including losing his father. When he asks “where should I shatter?” in Father Time, the pain feels raw and real, while expectations are explored in What My Body Knows of Grief: “i thought this would be easier”.

The final section, Featherweight, returns us to the eclectic layout from the first. Throughout, shared memories of times past echo the poet’s search for identity within the many experiences and people who have shaped him.

'Manuali’i' opens the door to the poet’s story and to self-reflection in the reader. It is personal, vivid and inspiring through its many emotional twists and turns. 'Manuali’i' is a cohesive and poignant collection of work. As the back cover states, it had me “reminiscing on past loves … and appreciating the depth and range of human emotion and connection.”