Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 3, 1 March 1988 — Second Place Winner [ARTICLE]

Second Place Winner

A BREATH OF LIFE By Kyle Keoki Farm A koa eanoe moves swiftly, in the early morning light. The eanoe moves as one: Eaeh Hawaiian is one with himself. Eaeh Hawaiian in one with his paddle. Eaeh Hawaiian in one with eaeh other. All in one with the eanoe. All in one with the sea. They move swiftly, as an extension of the sea. However; Huge oeean swells travel across the vast oeean floor, Unexpected. They eome from distant lands far, far, away. They swamp the koa eanoe, destroying it into many splinters. The swells disrupt the Hawaiian currents Crashing upon our shores wave after wave. As the sea breathes, The Hawaiian breathes also; we have survived. The Hawaiian is adapting,, Because he learns to ride the waves. The Hawaiian is pure, Because he is part of the waves. in the early morning light, a young Hawaiian child searches the sea shore, and finds a pieee of koa wood. in the heavens above, an ancient Hawaiian eanoe paddler, hopes with all his heart that the child will be enlightened.