I am from Sunday gatherings at the beach

Zippy’s macaroni salad and rice

Spam musubi

Lumpia

Matsumoto’s shave ice with vanilla ice cream

Lilikoi, blue Hawai’i, strawberry daiquiri

I am from yes Ma’am, no Ma’am

Wicked nuns haunting me in my sleep

Hanna batta days and friends for life

I am from crashing waves against the sand

Warm breezes caress my skin

Hula, the essence of my home

Surfers, boardshorts, hardbodies

Oooh, baby!

My eyes hurt

I am from lazy days

90 degrees

Clothes drying on the line

My underwear hanging out for all the world to see

I am from a mother devine

“No make me any kine!”

From a soul crying for hope and peace

Waiting for eternity to begin

Waiting not wanting to say “a hui hou”

I am from Ohana

Brown skin and eyes

Sisters, brother, lots of others

Parents that yell

I get it now

My baby’s accomplishments

I am from hard work

Nothing is for free

Working until there is nothing left, and work some more

Paving the way

Not hiding under shadows

Or living through someone else

I am me