The pågo flower is indigenous to the Mariana Islands and is commonly found growing near the beach. Captured by Andrea Murer.

This morning from my window,
sunrise is a gloomy gray and
the road is still wet from last night’s uchan.

Hidden in the back of my lola’s closet,
I found a straw hat,
which made me feel like a hard-working lancheru
strolling out of the little white house she’s renting.

Droplets glide off the pågo’ leaves
and into my cold brew
as we enter the cemetery to ask Mr. Quinene
to bless us with good health and harmony.
His fire lives on in my lola and
His words are stars navigating me back to Malesso’.

This piece was produced as part of UOG Press's Mañe'lon i Mantitige' Writers Fellowship that was made possible with support from a grant from the Guam Economic Development Authority. The goal of the fellowship was to foster a community of local writers interested in publishing.

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Johanna Salinas is a proud UOG graduate and aspiring traveler. For now, her main journey is learning more about her Chamoru culture. Currently, she is working at GDOE as a reading teacher, and on the weekends she writes poetry.