Prompted by Poet's Place Cafe

Aloha. Echoes in the Valley

Aloha, Hello-Goodbye

Aloha, come to our island paradise,
Welcome Houli, it’s the place to be.
Breathe the scent of jasmine and spice.
Rest in the shade of the Kukui Nut tree.

Welcome Houli, it’s the place to be.
Sway to the strum of the ukulele,
Rest in the shade of the Kukui Nut tree,
Caution, avoid the rumblings of Pele.

Sway to the strum of the ukulele
Grass skirted lovelys hula with grace
Caution, avoid the rumblings of Pele.
Surf’s up, shoot the curl, enjoy the chase.

Grass skirted lovely’s hula with grace
Breathe the scent of jasmine and spice
Surf’s up, shoot the curl, enjoy the chase.
Aloha, come back to our island paradise.
                              ~~Judi Van Gorder

Notes: ▼

16 Lines
Mahalo (thank you) for reading my simple poem. Hawaiian language is very phonetic.
Aloha Ah - low- ha means hello or goodbye - depends on whether you are coming or going.
Houli - how- oo- lee. - non Hawaiian.
Kukui - koo- koo-ee The state tree, brought to the islands with the Polynesian immigration. The large nut has many uses from ornamental, oil., fuel etc. in the old days only Hawaiian royalty wore a lei (lay) of Kukui nuts.

I have a beautiful Kukui nut lei I inherited from my mother. No she was not Hawaiian royalty only a tourist willing to pay the price. I began taking hula lessons at the age of 8. I performed with 3 others through my teens all over the state of California. About 20 years ago I was on the island of Maui with friends in a local lounge and some locals were playing ukuleles and one Hawaiian woman began dancing, I couldn’t resist and i joined her in a vamp. They were all so surprised a Houli could dance like a native. It was a very fun night.

Pantoum  
Written for."Echoes In the Valley"  

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