Gardenia
 

Planting 
Hawaiian Hibiscus
Radican Gardenia
Sister Edwina 
was right
We were going to plant
Hibiscus in the middle
of your garden
We planted mistakenly
Gardenia
"It's where
She wanted it,
is supposed 
to be there,
leave it"
 

When the Gardenia flowers
with the Hibiscus
How the convexed 
Sky blue
opens up
Sun showers
in the middle
afternoon
Come down 
upon my skin
like a dry
hungry desert
cracks up
water veins
 

Hibiscus trumpet blooms
wailing old stories true
some superstition
some dream weaving too
of the old people
the Island
Tula'ele
Our Village
I know you have 
gone home
to the garden of Eden
where the Gardenia
Hibiscus bloom
 

at sunset you run from tree to tree
the breadfruit, mango, paw-paw of
your Mother's garden, stealing fruit.
 

Dedicated to Edwina Ulberg-Poole

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((C) Copyright 2001
Doug Poole
All Rights Reserved