–OO–

“ There is a fountain of youth:

It is your mind, your talent, the creativity you bring to your life, and the lives of the people you love.

When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age. ” 

—Source Unknown

— OO —

 

–OO–

---

 

CORONAVIRUS:  A HOLY WEEK REFLECTION

For Edna Nishihara Holdeman, (1)

a Kaua`i High School friend who asked in an email on April 6,

 “Have you created poetry on Corona?”

✝️

 

The Lord entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

The townsfolks greeted Him by spreading their garments and tree branches

On the road —  a red carpet of sorts – to celebrate

The triumphal entry of the King of Kings into Jerusalem.

And Palm Sunday was born to usher in Holy Week.

👑

Corona!  Corona!

A crown!  A crown!

 

 

Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.

He asked, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

The people answered:

“Let Him be crucified!”

Jesus died on the Cross at a place of a skull called Golgotha

With a crown of thorns on His head.

 

👑

Corona! Corona!

A crown!  A crown!

 

✝️

Coronavirus is the crucifixion of humanity.

COVID-19 is a crown of thorns on the nations of the world.

Our Easter prayer is that nations will rise from their dead

Triumphant over Coronavirus.

Christendom worships the risen Lord on Easter Sunday

With shouts of  “Hallelujah!”

“The Lord is risen from the dead!”

“Hallelujah!”

 

👑

When triumph over Coronavirus is achieved

The nations of the world,

Will raise their voices

With loud Hallelujahs and heartfelt Amens

And sing praises to the King of Kings,

Remembering to give thanks and glory

To the Lord of Lords for the victory!

© Catherine Pascual Lo | April 7, 2020

 

(1) Edna Holdeman CLICK

–OO–

 

KAUA`I HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1955

Especially Sons and Daughters of Koloa

 

They are a great bunch, the Class of 1955!

 

Many of the boys travelled away from home

To serve in the military and matured into manhood:

Think Anito Bargayo of Koloa, and Clifton Hayashi

And James Takaki of Lihu`e.

 

Many were inspired to become educators

And taught one, maybe two, generations of children

And youth reading, writing, and arithmetic,

Lessons in cleanliness, good manners, and right conduct,

Fair play and sportsmanship on the playgrounds,

Lessons in citizenship and service to community,

Perhaps inspired along the way

Students to follow in their footsteps:

Think Victoria Hayashi Mukai, Ruth Kondo Izawa,

Edna Nishihara Holdeman, and, of course,

Gladys Naitoh Yamada (1937 -1996), to name a few —

All from the King of Kaua’i Towns: Koloa;

Also, Janice Doi Lillie and Arnold Fujii,

Daughter and son of Kapaia.

 

At least two served as school principals:

Aurilio Padilla of Kipu, and Juan Ochoco of Lihu’e and Hanama`ulu.

Several joined the nursing profession

to insure health in their communities:

Think Ethel Isoda Oyama of Koloa

And Phyllis Ahana Tokita of Nawiliwili.

 

Donald Bruce Cataluna (1937 – 2014), a son of Koloa,

Active in Future Farmers of America,

Became chief executive of five C. Brewer & Co. subsidiaries

From 1975 to 1992, one of the first part-Hawaiians to manage

A plantation.  Donald went on to become a trustee on the board

Of OHA – Office of Hawaiian Affairs, that is –

From 1999 to 2012 to represent Ni`ihau and Kaua`i.

 

The president of the Student Government in 1954-1955,

A son of Puhi, joined the medical profession:

Dr. Stanford Au, MD —

A neurologist, with specialty in child neurology.

 

Her speed, efficiency, and organizational ability

Say it all: Ann Watanabe Ogata was a college secretary.

She grew up in Nawiliwili and Lihu’e and in retirement returned to Lihu’e,

Where she attended school.

 

At this advanced age of 82

I remember other classmates by name;

Alas, I don’t know what they did before retirement.

Our paths cross, we talk story, but fail to ask,

What kept you busy before you retired?

The 50th class reunion book in 2005,

Which, alas, the class failed to produce,

Would help tell us right now

What great things classmates achieved,

The places they explored in pursuit of their dreams,

And what dreams were fulfilled.

 

–By the Pupule Poet of Po’ipu:

KHS Class of 1955,

Retired college librarian

Catherine Pascual Lo,

Author: The Filipinos of Koloa (2017).

 Copyright © 2020

— OO —

 

AT PO`IPU BEACH AFTER HURRICANE `INIKI

 Everyone who thirsts,

Come to the waters.

Isaiah 55:1 (NKJV)

I sit on a rock, Hurricane `Iniki

Having destroyed the two pavilions.

I survey the scene, feeling increasingly depressed

By the desolation that surrounds me.

 

Energized by Saturday’s sun

Which is rising with promise, I walk

Where the keep out signs allow me.

I stand on the foundation of the big pavilion

That once welcomed picnickers daily.

The sight of a crater nearby ignites new flames of awe

As I realize anew how wind and water

Dug out the crater with determination

On September 11, 1992,

 Destroying the grassy grounds where children once played.

 

Some yards away, someone is sitting at the water’s edge

Where the waves are gently washing the rocks.

The lone figure could be whale-watching,

But I see no signs of spouting mammals.

 

And at the reef near the lagoon,

A well-tanned fisherman readies his net for a catch.

The sun is focused on the catch of the day

And I see fish flashing inside the net.

Surely, he counts the fish as he puts them

In a mesh bag that he deposits in the water among the rocks

Before he casts his net for another catch.

 

I amble away from the waters of Po`ipu Beach

And look for the plovers and the doves that populate the park.

Plovers, doves or birds of any kind are not in sight.

They, too, must be sad over the destruction

Of their favorite park that is now devoid of friends

 Who share with them their picnic fares. 

© Catherine Pascual Lo – 1993/2003

 

ODE TO PLANTATION DAYS

Green fields of sugarcane tasseling in the sun:

Green fields of pineapple with fragrant ripening fruits:

Green colored the world of camp communities:

In historic plantation days.

 

Trees, shrubs, bushes and gardens

Graced the narrow dirt roads;

Spacious and welcoming porches

Created intimate communal closeness.

 

Sharing was a way of life:

Neighbors lived as one family:

No one was ever homeless:

At plantation camps of green and red houses.

 

The sugary smell that permeated the air

During sugarcane grinding seasons;

The soot that made black feet a normal condition

Now nostalgic recollections of plantation days.

 

Green fields of sugarcane tasseling in the sun:

Green fields of pineapple with fragrant ripening fruits:

Green colored the world of camp communities:

In historic plantation days.

 © 2014 Catherine Pascual Lo

 

ODE TO NEW MILL CAMP

Green fields of sugarcane tasseling in beauty:

Red houses with galvanized roofs glistening in the sun:

The humming of machines grinding sugarcane

Gives New Mill Camp its incomparable rhythm.

 

The spacious and welcoming porches

Invite family and friends to visit:

Sharing is a way of life:

Homelessness is an alien predicament.

 

The sugary smell that permeates the air

As the mill makes molasses magic

Is perfume beyond compare

Bottled and preserved in memory capsules.

 

Green fields of sugarcane tasseling in beauty:

Plumerias and birds of paradise blooming in splendor:

Mangos and bananas ripening in abundance:

That’s home!  Koloa’s Crown Flower Camp!

© 2014 Catherine Pascual Lo

 

 

— OO —

© 2020.  COPYRIGHT Catherine Pascual Lo