Ku‘u Lei Maile

Kekoa Wong

Composed for his wife Kaumakaakapuakea.

Kuu lei maile i ka ua noe
Kuu wahine maka a ka maile
Hoohihia a ke aloha
O Hulaana ke alo pali aala
Uluwehiwehi i ka wao lehua
Makaa ka nani a‘o Awini
Wilia ka makani Apaapaa
Ke hili i ka maile lauliilii
Kiliopu la he palai hiehie
He moena pawehe i ka lauae
Ka hoomapu mai i ka malie
Ahe ahe ka anuhea o Puuokona
Kahe ke kiowai i ka lani
O Ihiihilauakea ke ehukai
Kuia ke lei i Hanauma
Maka ka lae i Koko o ke kai malino
Olinolino ka pua lehua i ka lai
Halialia ka ulili ma Kuliouou
Ma‘u ke kupukupu i ke kehau
Kulou i ka moani anuhea
E o mai oe ka waiala ahiahi
Kuu lei maile i ka ua noe

My maile wreath
My beloved of the sweet maile
Woven with compassion
Hulaana’s cliff permeates
Amongst the lush lehua groves
Awini’s splendor is gazed upon
Where the Apaapaa weaves
Twines the small leaf maile
Caressed upon the palai fern
Where the lauae scents the mat
That wafts about the hala
Calm is Kona’s terrain
Blows the soft fragrance of the Puuokona
Where the upland pools cascade
Gliding above is the frigate
Amongst the sea spray of the Ihiihilauakea
Where Hanauma is plaited
That jets out to Koko in the calm
The lehua’s brilliance is seen
At Kuliouou is the ulili’s pleasure
Where the kupukupu fern is dampened
Whose fragrance wafts about
Respond my chosen one
My misty lei of fragrance

© Kekoa Wong 2006