The man I never knew

By Malum Nalu

As I look into the face in the photo
Into the eyes of the man I never knew

I see the pain
The hurt

He shows me the cloud-covered Saruwaged
The treetops
I hear the crunch
As the plane hits the branches

I see the hope in his eyes
As he makes an SOS
Hoping against hope
In the freezing cold as the pain sets in

I see the hurt
Of missing Christmas with loved ones
Help is not coming
Darkness is closing in

- To the Memory of David Tong
Who lost his life in the Saruwaged Range
Serving the people of Kabwum, Morobe and Papua New Guinea