Breyton F.

Distance Learning by Lauren K.

An endless cycle everyday,

starts with buzzing that continues till turned away.

You roll into the world in an ocean colored cloth,

and plop into your familiar leather spot.

The light reaches towards you through the open windows,

but misses your spotlight by just a little.

These little boxes on your digitized screen,

are the only way you see people and form a meaning.

Head, shoulders, cameras on,

mute your mic unless you're called on.

I miss the days where we joined together,

singing a tune or competing against one another.

Standing around the piko with our flags held high,

to honor and support those by our sides.

Now we stare at our mouses and big bright screens,

debating whether we should unmute or send an email promptly.

Procrastinating my Canvas list till the very last moment,

just to read the instructions and follow the rubric.

I miss the random conversations between classes,

while the hall bustled with chatter and the eating of snack stashes.

I barely know anyone outside of my bubble,

but these things don’t have to be the cause of your trouble.

Always look at things in a positive way,

because you don’t know the stories of those you see everyday.

Long breaks between classes and so much freedom,

binge watching Netflix and staying up till dawn.

We are able to connect from miles away,

through technology that is so normal to us today.

Support for anything is just a button click away,

our Kumu do their best to teach and continue us on our way.

I love when we gather together on zoom,

and laugh about random thoughts and moves.

These kumu make me feel safe,

by always putting a smile on my face.

So many new opportunities to make a change,

while we travel together through an uncertain range.

We look out into the world in a different way,

appreciating the little things that God gave us today.

Never forget the difference you can make,

by staying home and keeping others safe.

The Ocean Swims to the Beach as We Play

By: Jacie K.

Every Saturday,

At least once a week,

There’s nothing like it,

Nothing else that could calmly put you to sleep,

The ocean cradles you,

Protects you as long as you're there,

It keeps you wrapped safe and sound,

The barrels of the waves,

Looping again and again,

Never-ending schools of fish,

That swim so close you could touch one,

They enjoy seeing you,

They have a twinkle in their eyes that tell you to be in the moment,

1 hour goes and another and another,

Time melts away as you play,

Surrounded by family and friends,

The beach is a space to gather,

The beach and the ocean that is my second home.

I was inspired to write this poem when I read the flyer talking about sharing your passion. My passion may not be writing but I have a close connection to the beach. Some of the lines have specific meanings and they connect to specific places like the line, “every Saturday”. Me and my family go to the beach every Saturday, we call it our tradition. I think that as you just close your eyes and listen to the waves crashing on the shoreline at Waimanalo beach they just put you to sleep. The lines that say, “Never-ending schools of fish, That swim so close you could touch one”. That line talks about a cove up on the north shore called Pupukea or sharks cove. I love to go to this cove because it’s a fish sanctuary, I think that the fish know that you can’t harm them because they will swim so close to you that you could just touch them. They also swim in mostly large schools and they are just so in tune with one another. The lines all have a meaning to me and that was my poem on the beach and ocean.

I'm scared of death, I'm scared of living

Iʻm scared of all the things I shouldnʻt

Iʻm scared to fall and being vulnerable

Iʻm scared if I die I would have done nothing all

The future is so unpredictable

Sometimes I wish it was set in stone

Read the plan that God has for me

Without making it up as I go

But I want the excitement

The thought of unknowing

Each human as an individual

As dreams continue stirring

I could wish and wonder what life holds

I guess Iʻll just have to wait for it to unfold

By Delina-Marie P.