Ohi’a tree
To my tiny and forever
the world’s biggest angel
Be it your first cries,
the day you first slept holding my finger
or the day you first cried all night beside me
and I first felt like nothing seemed to work
We two were full of firsts
but I was able to overcome them all
because I was with you
When you laugh, you know, the way you squeeze
one eye shut is the same as me
When you’re sleepy, the way you pout
and stick out your lower lip is also the same
I wonder when you’ll know what your name is
or maybe you already know it?
Like how Lehua nestles close to the Ohi’a tree
Like how she softly lets strong flowers bloom
I put those kinds of thoughts into your name
On days when cold snow falls
you can rest on my chest
On scorching summer days
you can run free, anywhere you like
I’ll be watching over you
Always
I wonder when you’ll know what your name is
or maybe you already know it?
When you ask me about your name someday
how shall I tell you?
Ah- the day when Lehua let her flowers bloom
to cuddle close to the Ohi’a tree
Ah- that’s when a gentle breeze taught me
a new meaning of life that is true to me
I guess that’s what I’ll tell you
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Note:
The Ohi’a tree is a Hawaiian tree and Lehua is the name of its flowers.
Legend goes that the volcano goddess Pele fell in love with Ohi’a at first sight, but he was already in love with Lehua and turned her down. In a fit of rage Pele turned Ohi’a into a twisted tree. The other gods took pity on the heartbroken Lehua and transformed her into a flower that grows on the Ohi’a tree. That’s why it’ll rain if you pluck a flower from the Ohi’a tree: you’re separating the couple again.
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kanji:
romaji:
Feel free to repost. I would appreciate you crediting me if you did.