Ka Lei Lehua Aloha

Jeremy K. Hopkins
July 2005

This mele was written for a beautiful lady who reminded me of the beautiful lehua blossom that can be found at a park in Kāne‘ohe near the base of the Ko‘olau mountains. We developed a very close relationship and the rest is a story for another mele.

Aia lā ma kula
Ku‘u pua, ‘o ka lehua
Ka punahele a ke kama‘āina
Ā he pua nani ia
I wili pū ‘ia me ka liko
Ua pa‘a ka lei o ke aloha

He nani ke ‘ike aku
‘O ia pua ‘ula huluhulu
Pulupē i ka ua ‘Āpuakea

He lei ho‘oheno kēia
Na‘u ia e milika‘a
I ka pā mai a ka makani
I ke ao mālamalama
Ahuwale kou nani
E ka lei kāhiko wehiwehi

Upu a‘e ka mana‘o
Nou ho‘okahi e ka ipo
Ka ‘i‘ini a ka pu‘uwai
He pua mae ‘ole
Noho‘i ‘oe e ke aloha
Me a‘u nō ‘oe i ka poli

My flower, the lehua, is there at the plains
The favored one of the kama‘āina
And it is a beautiful flower woven together with the liko
My lei of love is now complete

This is a beautiful looking fuzzy red flower
Drenched in the ‘Āpuakea rain

This is a cherished lei, one that I will caress
As the wind blows and as the daylight shines
Your beauty is open for all to see
Oh beautiful verdant lei

My thoughts return to you my sweetheart
The desire of my heart
My love, you are indeed a flower that will not fade
You are with me in my bosom