University of Hawai’i Poem

*University of Hawai‘i*

There is a warm reception in the Hawaiian tropics.
A spoken word of poetry that flows in these Islands
to visitors, and
Sons & Daughters off to their studies.
A tender wind that breathes life to this destination,
Like the romantic sunsets & beaches carried by torches.
Under this sun, this moon, these stars,
The most-living have found heaven.

Canoe paddling in the ocean beneath the bluest skies man has ever seen,
Surfing in a setting that revives the self each ride,
And simply appreciating the fortune of drowning in beauty:

A treasure Hawaiians want to take to their deaths,
And share it with the world:
A fondness by request.

In this land where the Sugarcane sprouts,
And beautiful transcends to the spiritual,
There is an elevation topped with waterfalls,
That moves active souls to the world’s tallest mountain.

There is beauty all over the Pacific,
But in Hawai‘i, there lies the summit.
And when those sons and daughters leave for class,
They are off to reach their own.
In these islands of hulas, hibiscus, and heights,
Buried in the trenches are the
Rainbow Warriors who uphold utopia.
By continuing a tradition of Hawai‘i not spoken of as much by the visitors:
Wisdom from experience and acquired with knowledge.

Out-of-state students and life-long locals who will attend
The University of Hawai‘i,
During this four-year visit:
Be sure to bring your gifts.
And be prepared for the warmest of welcomes:
Every single day.

Hawai‘i is known for its beauty, beaches, volcanoes and summits,
but
Above All Is Humanity.
And this message is delivered in the hello to the incoming freshman.
In the goodbye of the graduating Warrior.
Sent off to the world and defined by Love:

Aloha from Hawai‘i.

From Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West
You can read the full four-volume Alma Mater collection here.
©2016. Original Clyde Aidoo. All rights reserved