Monday, June 4, 2018

The Ea of Change is Heat


I am a woman made of fire
A child forged in the belly of kīlauea 
My kūpana
Thrust /ōʻō into cracking foundation
To birth islands from their eruption
Their moku severed the sea with kuahiwi 
Mauna kea, loa and hualalai sisters reaching up to kiss wake in his loneliness
My aliʻi turned cavernous awāwa into ʻāina with theier aloha
I am their most recent promise
This is the truest sacrifice I know

I am a woman made from hard pan
Of Fractured foundations
Just enough to let a bit of the salt in 
I am that constant fear of downing that still stomps stomps stomps 
Wondering how long til the waters rush 
Til kai turns my ʻā to smoke
My blood to stone
My voice to quiet forgotten song

I came to you
Hau wahine 
Cold Moʻo wahine of seven skins and eight seas
I came to you with my craters swept open
Gave you kindling to feed you mist
Opened a cavaty for you to borrow in 
And you filled my chest with flood water
I have been downing in your cool caress ever since
Every flame cools
Ever sea softens
But my ea is heat rising 

I am looking for my kūpuna in what I thought were craters
but you showed me were springs
I am looking for the fire and only finding the sea
Did you see
Where I went?
Do you remember how 
To pull islands out of the ocean
To be islands skimming the sea?

The ea of change is heat 
The ea of change is heat 
The ea of change is heat 
Heoli, do not forget
Without your fire, you cannot breathe 
But you are a woman made of fire
How dare you be afraid of your being