Of all of Kiri Ito's joys,
the thing she loved the bestWas to play her prized
piano when the sun had gone to restI used to hear the
notes drift down along the silent waterAs Kiri played
the notes and scales for her dear sons and daughtersNow
me I played piano though not as good as KiriShe went
in for that long haired stuff but my she played it
prettyThe old piano had a tone would set my heart to
achingIt always sounded sweetest though when it was
Kiri playingIn December when the seventh fleet was
turned to smoke and ashesThe order came to confiscate
their fishing boats and cachesAnd Kiri's husband forced
to go and work in labour campsAnd Kiri left alone to
fend and hold the fort as best she canBut the music
did not drift as often from up the cove at Kiri's houseAnd
when it did it sounded haunted played with worry played
with doubtFor Kiri knew that soon she too would be
compelled to leaveAnd the old upright would stay behind
and Kiri she would grieveI loaded Kiri on the bus with
stoic interneesThe crime that they were guilty of was
that they were not like meAnd if I was ashamed I didn't
know it at the timeThey were flotsam on the wave of
war they were no friends of mineI went up to Kiri's
house to tag all their belongingsAnd set them out for
auctioneers who'd claim them in the morningOne piece
that I thought I'd keep and hold back for myselfWas
that haunting ivory upright that Kiri played so wellBut
Kiri had not left it there for me to take as plunderShe'd
rolled it down onto the dock and on into the harborThat
old upright in strangers' hands was a thought she couldn't
bearSo she consigned it to the sea to settle the affairSo
many years have come and gone since Kiri's relocationI
look back now upon that time with shame and resignationFor
Kiri knew what I did not that if we must be freeThen
sometimes we must sacrifice to gain our dignityYes
Kiri knew what I did not that if we must be freeThen
sometimes we must sacrifice to gain our dignity