Reviewing 'Tusitala': Storytelling in Poetry
Diving into Danielle Kionasina Dilys Thomson's debut poetry collection 'Tusitala'
Tusitala means 'storyteller' in Samoan. And true to her word, Danielle delivers a collection of poems no more fitting of a natural-born storyteller.
Recently, I was very fortunate to hear her perform live at Yellow Lamp Poetry's monthly showcase of spoken word poets and writers. Despite having read Tusitala beforehand, the spoken word performance was an entirely different and transformative experience. She opened with a tribute to her Nana, centering family and cultural roots in her craft from the outset. You will encounter this reflexive grounding from many young writers, but it’s a sound one that reminds us to look back and consciously appreciate the people in our lives who have played a significant part in who we are becoming— in who we've already become.
Tusitala is more than a love letter to the fiery and trail-blazing wahine who came before her. It’s also an unfolding chapter of her own journey through life as a young female writer in Aotearoa. The surreal and wistfully existential midnight Uber rides, the heartful skin-prickling memories from island shores, the all-too-familiar suburban hum of Tāmaki Makaurau. Even the dimmest nooks and corners linger long after you reach Britomart Train Station and nod the winter chill away.
Danielle explained how she often begins with distinct pockets of imagery— memorable visuals and visceral sensory textures— before crafting her poems into a thematic whole. It’s always a delight seeing a poet recognise where they shine best. This self-awareness is not only sincere, but a glorious testament to her eye for beauty in the everyday, and her heart for emotionally resonant lived experiences. The mixed feelings of shame, confusion, and hushed vulnerability in The Pharmacy was one of the most relatable scenes in the collection.
Her use of vivid and surreal imagery carries a gentle subtlety, trusting her reader to dive into the emotional current running through each line. I am comforted— and simultaneously wrenched open— by each musical rhyme, rhythmic couplet, and multilayered metaphor. If there’s one thing which leaps from the pages, it’s the vibrant bursts of colour. Further, each chapter is marked by a specific month and year. You begin to read each poem as if it belongs to a specific season in her actual life, timestamped across the collection. There’s something uniquely intimate about following the course of her life indirectly, as though it unfolds in real time.
At the Yellow Lamp Poetry showcase, she teased new poetry from her upcoming collection, to be released exactly one year after Tusitala debuted. Without giving too much away, her new voice already feels more emboldened, unapologetic, and refreshingly fierce. It doesn’t abandon the rich cultural essence of her debut but expands on it with ignited self-confidence and mature growth— leaving us more excited than ever for what comes next.
An excerpt from Tusitala, ‘Wide Feet’
I recreate your fresh linen face when I pour deep reds into my hibiscus lips
They brush the mountains and crevices of your profile;
My moon
You were carved by angels and drenched in gold
Cyclically, I swim back to the safety of your stained-glass reef
We humbly thank Danielle for sharing her poetry with us. Tusitala is available for purchase at your local booksellers. Visit the link below:
Tagata Atamai
