The poems on this page are multi- island in nature. As a bonus I have included additional pictures and a vignette. P.S. All pictures are available for purchase.
Peering from a Maui beach over to Molokai
Early Morning Visual

If I sit just right,
....the railing blocks the view
....ubiquitous line of condos
....along once pristine Ka'anapali Coast.
Not a soul is visible,
....but within hours
....a patch quilt of colors
....will blanket the sand.
The blue sky is dappled with white puffs
....though the extinct volcano captures
....those clouds trying to sneak past.
The coast meanders to the horizon
....as the calm sea deposits gentle waves.
Palm leaves wave gentle good mornings.
The early dawn light
paints the scene with yellow hues.
Despite the miles
....sister island Molokai appears
....as if only a touch away.
To the distant right,

....a cane truck leaves a trail of dust
....as it lumbers slowly down the mountain
....soon to connect with the paved road.
I breathe deeply the smog free air,
....blessed to be here
....at the start of a new Maui day.

Comments: The section of Maui where we stayed is developed with additional construction occurring daily. The last time I stayed on the Ka'anapali Coast was decades ago. I was overwhelmed at how much of the once pristine land now supports mega resorts and condos. Though the area is still beautiful, I enjoyed spending time away from the area in Paia and Upcountry.


Sleeping in Paradise

Only yards away the tourists sleep comfortably
....in their $250 a night air-conditioned rooms,
....while she rests underneath the shade
....between two life-giving roots.
A dingy white sheet protects against
....the tropical winds and intermittent rain.
She lives in paradise
....moving mostly unseen
....among the celebratory crowds.
Occasionally, she is offered a few coins,
....providing sustenance for the day.
Decades ago, she was a small child–
....her life and dreams before her.
Now, she is a mere shadow
....that disappears with the night
....and returns with the sunlight.

Comments: It was early morning in Waikiki before the crowds had arrived. I was in the park near the zoo, one hundred yards from the beach. As I practiced my morning tai chi and a brief yoga sequence, I suddenly noticed this form wrapped in a white sheet squeezed between two tree roots. I also noticed a fellow asleep on a distant bench. I was caught by the irony. I quit my practice and scribbled in my journal the draft to this poem.


If I sat just right, the balcony railing blocked the condo, and I only saw the coastline.
Truck headed toward the paved road
Look to the left of the Ghandi statue and you will see a white bundle resting between the tree roots. Waikiki Beach only a few yards away.
A special place to relax (Baldwin Beach, Maui)
Molokai in clouds
Lone sailboat sailing near Lanai
(This is has been my most popular selling print.)
Vignettes: The Meeting Place

All air travelers know there is one place on the plane where, if you stand long enough, you meet almost everyone aboard, at least the passengers in your section. Have you guessed the location? If you said the bathrooms, you are correct. This became abundantly clear on a recent flight from Houston to Honolulu, eight long hours. Allow me to explain. For health reasons I must get up periodically and stretch the legs, thus, avoiding DVT’s (deep-vein thrombosis, commonly known as blood clots – actually everyone should play it safe and get up and move around every hour or so.). Try to find a place on a modern plane to stand and stretch, and you usually discover only one option, the small space near the bulkhead exit located by the bathrooms. Obviously, lines form. When people see you standing there, they politely ask if you want the next stall. I just as politely reply that I am stretching. This trip I took on a new role. As people arrived, rather than waiting for them to ask, I stated, “That one is open,” to which they replied with a smile, “Thank you.” I knew my administrative talents would come in handy someday.

As I thought back over my previous stretches on other flights, I remembered my most fascinating interaction at the gathering place. I was flying from Salt Lake to Cincinnati. There, she stood stretching. Since we were also interloping into the galley, there was room for two. As we talked, I discovered that years ago she had lived in Ohio and that we had ski patrolled together, she at a nearby resort to my home area. (The two patrols often interacted in training exercises.) Her mother and I had worked extensively together in first aid training. “What a chance meeting!” flashed through my mind, especially since we were traveling from destinations, neither near our homes. As we shared tales about ourselves, my mind began to work the cupid angle. I had just visited a former student in Bozeman, Montana. He was single and looking for the perfect “outdoor” woman. I had found her. She was also looking for a guy just like him. The good news was that she only lived twenty miles from him. I obtained her email and put the process into motion. Alas, my match-making efforts yielded a couple emails between the two but no relationship. Oh well, a noble effort!

As I look up from my writing, I see that the meeting place is becoming a bit disorganized. A good administrator is needed to get things in order. One's work is never done! Besides, I need another stretch. Who knows what I will discover.

Near the Eye of the Needle (IAO) on Maui

Recommendations '07

Having been back to Hawaii, I must offer several suggestions. Some are new and some reaffirm earlier impressions.

Reaffirm

Komodo Bakery in Makawao, a small artist community Upcountry from Paia, is where you can enjoy decadent malasadas. Ray forced me to make two additional trips over there because he enjoyed the pastries so much–he usually doesn't eat such sugared items.

If you love watercolor as I do, then a visit to
Sherri Reeve's Gallery in Makawao is a "must add" to your list. Sherri's paintings are filled with vibrancy and details uncommon to many watercolor artists' work. She has done many creative things with her art that any budget can afford. A real plus, the staff is very friendly and accommodating. Sherri on specific days is in the studio and will sign her work, whether it be a large limited edition print or a small art tile.

For more info on Sherri Reeve's, go to http://www.sreeve.com.

New

The two new restaurants I am recommending are well-known in Hawaii and among dining gourmets, but I paid my first visits to them. The first is a small chain but never-the-less provides fine service and delectable food, Roy's. Chef and owner Roy Yamaguchi invented what he refers to as “Hawaiian Fusion© Cuisine” — a tempting combination of exotic flavors and spices mixed with the freshest of local ingredients, always with an emphasis on seafood. A visit to one of his restaurants on any of the islands will provide you with a delightful experience. Be sure to try a chocolate soufflé. For more information.

The second is Alan Wong’s Restaurant (808-949-2526) on King Street in Honolulu, named as “Hawaii's Best 2007 for Fine Dining." I will simply state that the food (10/10), service (10/10), and experience (10/10) ranked as one of my top five dining experiences in life, if not the top one. Be ready to spend, but every cent is worth it! For more information

While in Maui for the conference, we stayed in a timeshare called Ka'anapali Beach Club. One of my favorite people–efficient, and friendly–was bell captain extraordinaire Ryan. If you every stay there, give him my regards.

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