(Wahi Pana)
“O Kaloko”
by Doreen Kaleiwahea 6/20/11
The walled heiau witnessed the people of
Hawaii diminish to almost extinction.
An ‘ahu kai (altar) overlooks the calm fishpond,
the evidence of the past within the present.
The wind voices the oli of my ancestors,
surrounded by need to secure the future
Pehea kou make make (where are the things I want?) (*expand) 4 more
Black ‘Iwa bird greets the day with the ominous warning
Keep away destruction,
the nalu malie (gentle waves) lick the sand longingly
the ashes of the many souls wash into her bosom,
Time is pau, us no live here anymore
Maika'i Doreen. Nice! Especially love the part about securing the future
ReplyDeleteand evidence of the past. Your last line about "us no live here anymore"
is that present-day us or past-day us? As the reader, I'm thinking it is
about present-day us looking into the future? Almost as if, we too, ALL
will pass through this place and leave evidence behind. Keep writing,
your voice and mana'o strong and sweet-soft. Aloha.