Hale Mahina (House of the Moon)

a poem I wrote in Hawai'i this summer.

Velvet blackness beckons from the horizon,

Into the tides, and onto the 'aina,

Sending shadows on white caps to lull me to sleep,

A damp comfort, 

A constant hush of a kupuna's voice,

So ancient the earth evolves around it.

A gentle 'uwehe of a hula 'auana,

As her hips sway with the lehua and palms,

Movement so gracefully strong,

It sweeps through me and up to the mauka districts,

It can be seen and it can be heard,

But only a whisper tingles up my arm.

In my obscurity the escape is a candle light,

Miles away, this telling of humanity,

Sits nestled in a bay of its own blankness,

I can no more decipher the contours,

Of what is only a silhouette when given light,

What's profound tales do not need to be seen.

Ha'ina 'ia mai ka puana,

Let the refrain be told, 

I sit in a cloak of darkness,

Solitude stills time but changes every second,

It echoes songs of one of the last places untouched,

I am alone but I am not lonely,

I have the moana, makani, and Moloka'i

Author's Note

Hawaiian Word Translation:
'aina: land
kupuna: elder
'uwehe: hula step that is gentle stamping of the feet and swaying of hips
hula: ancient Hawai'ian dance
lehua: plant native to Hawai'i
mauka: mountain districts, a direction opposite from the coast
ha'ina 'ia mai ka puana: "let the refrain be told"
moana: the sea
makani: the wind
Moloka'i: an island of Hawai'i

Reviews

[zainul]

The superb piece makes me sway like the dancing girl.
You have recreated a wonderful Hawaiian performance for us.
Congratulations,gabiaimee!!!

[Sami Khalil]

I love Hawaii and its people along with the culture...A splendid poem...:).........