Poi

I crouch near the ocean,
my knees digging
into hot, grainy sand.
I stare ahead along the misty horizon,
spotting a swift canoe in the distance.
I begin to pound, grasping each brown, hairy taro firmly.
I grab some clean, golden sand
and throw it into my bowl. 
I stir in lightly salted ocean water
and pull in some dancing palm trees.
Then, I pop off the mighty Ko‘olaus,
lugging them into the bowl.
Grasping that docked, wooden canoe, I drop it inside.
The nene goose and
humuhumunukunukuapua‘a squirm in together.
I squeeze in Bruddah Iz along with the sweet people of O‘ahu.
I pause to dig my fingers into the soft, mushy poi.
‘Ae!
I have molded aloha,
O‘ahu, my home.

by Brianna Yee
7th grade, ‘Iolani School