The island of Kaua`i, most ancient of the seven inhabited Hawaiian islands, is the highland of a sea mount that reaches to over 5000 feet at the summit of Mount Wai`ale`ale (Rippling Water) and plummets to the depth of the sea floor. Kaua`i is joined undersea to her little-sister island, Ni`ihau, by the same volcanic action that over eons vented from this cloud-topped "mother mountain."
Though admittedly small--approximately 35 miles by 30 in width and breadth--and located at least 2400 miles from anywhere but other Hawaiian islands, Kaua`i exists as a small continent in the tropic world. Above all this natural splendor and dramatic scenery cut by wind and wave and water, the dormant Mount Wai`ale`ale reigns. Kaua`i people still offer the old-style aloha and welcome to her shores.
This book through its collection of poems follows the way of Hawaiian chant in giving life to diverse feelings and recording events and experiences through the medium of "The Word." Some poems center upon the sacred and sublime; others vibrate with human concerns such as life and death, love and loss. The collection extolls the light and dark sides of the island’s personality to keep "paradise" realistic. Behold Kaua`i, Modern Days ~ Ancient Ways melds ancient knowledge and lore with modern occurrence and insight.
This earth is alive,
we may forget
until She stretches
breathes, dances
wild and ecstatic
from island toes
to grassy plateau hips
and breasts of ancient sea beds
buttoned with corals and shells
to undergarments of basalt, granite, schist. . .
. . .within Her ancient flow and turn,
moon upon moon upon moon
back to our forgotten origin,
back to the beginning.
--excerpt, "Earth Goddess"
C. 2003
