9luphore
Meanwhile
Tense says when; this chapter begins aspect, which says how the doing sits in its time. si marks a doing as ongoing: still unfolding as you speak. It stands where to and so stand, touching the verb. One afternoon, held open in the middle:
SceneI
phao si selomi.wheo mua thepalu si thalo.lopia mua luphore si wile.lohau mua luphore si wishe.misheko si nulae.
| new word | say it | it means |
|---|---|---|
| si | si | (before the verb: still happening) |
| selomi | se · lo · mi | weave |
| luphore | lu · pho · re | river |
| wile | wi · le | play |
| wishe | wi · she | swim |
The parent is weaving, the elder is walking, the child is playing, the dog is swimming: five lives mid-motion at once, which is what si is for. The fifth line you could have written yourself.
SceneII
lo shalu mua luphore si wishe.lohau lo shalu si nila.lo shalu lohau si nila.
| new word | say it | it means |
|---|---|---|
| shalu | sha · lu | fish |
The fish are swimming; the dog is watching the fish; the fish are watching the dog. Chapter two's mirrored pair has grown up and wandered into the river: order still tells you who is looking, and si keeps each action in progress across the water.
SceneIII
lopiawa thia si selomi.phaolia. mia si selomi.lopialohau si wishe.phaowa misheko si wile.lopiatua. misheko si nulae.
Are you weaving? Still weaving. The parent asks after the cat with what can only be called hope. The child reports the facts.
SceneIV
howai shua.lo pelori shua.lopia lue luphore shua.lohau lue luphore shua.
| new word | say it | it means |
|---|---|---|
| howai | ho · wa · i | evening |
Evening comes; the birds return, and so does everyone else (wet, in one case, and entirely satisfied about it).