Jeanette S. Akamine
Jeanette. S. Akamine, 96, is a poet, entrepreneur, hairdresser, and grandmother of seven. She is a nisei who grew up in Kekaha, Kauaʻi, and moved to Honolulu in 1938. She shared some of the poetry she wrote throughout 2020, reflecting on her childhood and on the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 2020
In the Tanaka’s Garden
The kandaba grows
With Pele’s tear drops
The kandaba leaf matures
With lots of tender pat on the leaves,
The kandaba leaves mature
In no time the harvest will be plentiful
To make
Kandaba Jushi
(Sweet Potato Leaf Porridge)
Photo by Maryam Batool on Unsplash
Drip, Drop, Drips, Drops
Tiny little rain drops
Falling from the heavenly sky
Make my quarantine
Garden a happy oasis
Cruising over the Koolau Mountains
And riding over the Pali Road
Breathing the morning fresh air
Make me a
Happy Lanakila Citizen
October 28, 2020
Below the beautiful Koolau Mountains on the windward side
Kaneohe
On the immaculate manicured lawn on the corner of
Ohaha Street
A Satsuma Tangerine tree is planted.
Soon, with lots of sunshine and
Rainfall from Heaven
The fruit tree matures
Rewarding the caretaker with a
Crop of Bounty
Sharing the honey-sweet “golden jewels” with
Family and friends
Make me a happy healthy
96 year old granny of seven
November 20, 2020
The “pandemic” is a blessing in disguise.
Closets and storage spaces were cleaned and
Emptied
More time was spent
Caressing my potted plants
Anthuriums, chives, ginger root, green onions,
Sweet potato leaves
Turmeric and various edible plants
Ah! What a
Bountiful Blessing
Memories of When I was a Little Child
JUST A THOUGHT
Gazing up at the beautiful blue blue sky,
Sitting under the Mapulehu mango tree
Retrospecting of the good
Old days of my youth in
Hukipuu Camp is
Like a cloud of
Stimulus Felicitation
October 2020
Small kid time was the best time of my life
Breathing and smelling the fresh air of Hukipuu Camp
Baking and cooking on the wooden stove
An pan, Stone Cookies, doughnuts, peanuts, pie and saimin were our favorites
Feeding the chickens, ducks, pigeons and pigs—our daily chores
The end result—rewards of digging into the huge platter
November 18, 2020
Small kid time was the best time of my youth
Frolicking in the rain and catching medaka (tiny fish) and
Dojo (weatherfish) in the ditch alongside the canefields
Ahh, what nostalgic memories of my yester-years.
November 20, 2020
QUENCHING MY THIRST
Have you ever wondered about being thirsty?
When I was a little child,
Walking over three miles home from school was a chore.
To quench our thirst, one of the boys would go into the canefield
And cut a cane of sugar for us to chew on.
The sweet juice quenched our thirst.
Ah!
The best days of my youth.
October 2020
HUKILAU
When I was a little child
We went to the Hukilau
All the keiki and wahine
Waited at the shore.
The reward from the ocean was
A great harvest.
Sharing the bounty
With all hands in.
On top of the hills of Kekaha Mauka
There was a stable for the plantation horses
Since Dad was the equerry, we had the pleasure
Of riding our favorites—
A black pony, a brown donkey, a grey jackass and even
A great white stallion
Ah – ah
What fun we had
An unforgettable treat.
Father’s baking and cooking were done in a
Cement oven
An pan, Stone Cookies, Doughnuts, Manju, Peanuts
Were our favorites
Delicious, masanuu oishi
Soo soo ono-ono
Our dad had a vegetable garden
On May Day, we harvested
the beets and shaped them into hearts
the carrots into small flowers
the long white turnips into diamonds
Peanuts and string beans were put together
The end result was a
Healthy, edible Vegetable Lei
November 22, 2020
January 2021
1237-1239 NUUANU AVENUE
A place where families and friends would visit
Quite often unannounced
With luggage in tow and quickly
Settle themselves to a relaxed holiday.
Playing “Go” and “Sakura” and
Hashing out stories of by-gone days and
Soon, after a while, would be treated to a
Meal of “Myogaya Special”
Created by Chef Mom.
It was indeed a place like
Grand Central Station
TRIBUTE TO MOM
Mother was a great chef
Mother was a good singer
Mother was most happy playing the “koto”
Mother always served me abalone and sashimi (my favorite)
In a platter of shredded cabbage, carrot and daikon
Topped with ginger, myoga and wasabi
Whenever I visited Myogaya.
That was the greatest treat
I shall always remember
And cannot forget
MY SIBLINGS
Our four brothers were rascals
Small kid time.
They teased and played well.
They were good Boy Scouts.
They worked hard
Always giving a helping hand to
Anyone in need.
My younger sisters were calm and meek.
They wore masks of love and tenderness
Always smiling like the bright
Orange rays of sunshine
REMINISCING
(Read and stored in my memory;
spoken by my father;
developed from my imagination)
Kindness, laughter, love are the
Greatest gifts one can give.
They don’t cost a cent.
Those who receive them will always
Give them back to you.
If someone steps on your right toe,
Turn your left toe.
If both toes are hurt,
Just smile and fade away.
Sitting under the jaboticaba tree
Admiring the clusters of crimson cherries
Wondering “What shall I do with them?”
Make jam or jelly?
Yes, jellies indeed.
Soo soo onolicious