Ka 'Aina Lani (This Heavenly Land)

My mind invoked a land of Eden,
Within one dreamless sleep of mine.
A place of beauty, ageless pleasure,
Granted by the Great Divine.

Like paradise beyond our senses,
Ne’er before have I conceived
This earthly land of purest splendour,
That my own eyes could be deceived!

Endowed it was with foreign florae,
Blossoms brought from heaven’s kiss,
And every tree bore fragrant fruit
That flowered round this garden bliss.

Upon a clearing, I perceived
The waves that tumbled from the sea.
The azure waters shone like silver,
As this peace came over me.

Even beasts of land and ocean,
Lived in love and harmony.
Each creature the Divine created
Never had to fear nor flee.

This land was perfect, pure in virtue,
Coexisting pleasantly.
This was the land of paradise;
The land without iniquity.

Alas! My dream had ended early,
When the sun rose from the deep.
And for a while, I pondered gravely,
Why this dream came from my sleep.

Was this Atlantis? Avalon?
Or just a deep desire of heart?
This was the past of all mankind,
For all had journeyed from this start.

If all do realize our beginnings,
Then we’ll know the source of all,
For we can be a paradise,
And this is mankind’s truest call.


Lucifer

In the dawn of new Creation
Of the heavens blest above,
Was an angel God created
In an image of His love.

Fashioned with His luminescence,
Flowing from His breath divine,
Life was given through His essence
Into Heaven’s blessèd shrine.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Holy light shone vehemently
From the work of angel hands
As the Lord created wonders
Dawning from the time of man.

This bright angel, Lucifer,
*Had bore the light of Father-God,
*With eyes of fire that flickered and
*His golden wings that spanned abroad.

~*~*~*~*~*~

His own beauty was alluring
Like the aura of the sun
Standing midst the grand Creation
Of the Great and Holy One.

Then, he saw this timid creature
Loved by God much more than him,
*Jealousy began corruption;
*He would lead Man into sin.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Thinking that he could be greater
Than the Father of the Sky,
*He began to plan his evil,
*Smirking in his mind’s reply.

Gath’ring angels in defiance
As a battle would occur,
Soon the heavens were divided
‘Tween God’s law and Lucifer.

~*~*~*~*~*~

War began as Heaven trembled;
Callously, the thunder roared
As the angels fought the rebels,
Sided by their fallen lord.

But, alas! He was defeated
Smitten by the Father’s hand
And was banished with his rebels
To our earthly, God-made land.

~*~*~*~*~*~

But his plan was not completed,
Not ‘til death was introduced.
He would poison Woman’s thinking
*And God’s fury would be loosed.

Taking form into a serpent,
Slithered he onto the ground.
*On the tree of good and evil
*knowledge did he wrap around.

~*~*~*~*~*~

There was Eva, walking yonder,
‘Mongst the fruits of paradise.
*Little did God’s Eva know
*Of Lucifer’s corrupted vice.

When she wandered close enough
The serpent spoke to her.
*“Has God said, that ‘You cannot eat
*Of any tree, for sure?’”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Nay.” Eve spoke replying forward.
*“Any we may eat and try.
But if it is this tree you speak
Of, we may not eat, lest we die.”

“But you may not die” spoke the serpent.
“Gods you shall become” he said.
“And you will know of wisdom and
Receive immortal life instead.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

And so, believing he was trusting,
Taking all his words as true,
In her hand, she ate the fruit,
*And gave it to her husband too.

Lo! Behold! Their eyes were opened

To Mary's Heart

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she was born a child
So blest she was, a miracle
Whom God made undefiled.
Within the temple, she was three,
Immaculate and pure;
At thirteen, God sent Gabriel
To come and visit her.

I want the key to Mary's heart
As he proclaimed his case
That she would bear the Son of God
Through Holy Ghost and grace.
She'd marry Joseph to fulfill
Isaiah's prophecy
That by one day, their child would rise
To set all sinners free.

I want the key to Mary's heart
To know of her own joy,
When she proclaimed the Lord's great grace
To birth an infant boy.
Oh, how she smiled to know of such,
To praise her Yahweh well,
For He had bless'd her with this child
As our Immanuel.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she had thought within
The love of God ineffable
Whilst trav'lling to her kin.
I want to know her happiness
And see her radiant gaze
That shone the light of love divine
In following His ways.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When happiness was found
As her own cousin's baby knew
And leapt with joyful sound.
Her cousin said in great reply,
"My, you are bless'd indeed!
Among all women, you have come
To take this holy deed."

I want the key to Mary's heart,
To feel her great despair
To find a shelter for her King
In God and Joseph's care.
A stable dry was all they had
To house this unborn child
And shepherds came to witness by
This infant meek and mild.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she laid eyes on Him,
To see our dear salvation rest
With ev'ning growing dim.
Within a manger, sleeping still
When every noise did cease,
I want the key to Mary's heart
When all the world felt peace.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When fright did shake the night
As Herod wished to kill her child,
The King of Pow'r and Might.
I want to see her eyes in stress
As Joseph reached her hand
In hopes of comforting his wife
Across the desert land.

I want the key to Mary's heart
With Egypt near in sight.
To know of her relief, my Lord
Would leave my heart contrite.
I thank you, Lord, for saving them
From Herod's massacre
And bless the courage Joseph wore,
His faith, so strong and sure.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When sadness did arrive
Since baby Jesus grew into
A man of forward strive.
He left to teach the Father's reign
And wisdom sought by man,
And left His mother by His side
To then fulfill God's plan.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she had heard the news,
That her own child, her Jesus Christ
Would die from stubborn Jews.
I want to feel her breaking heart
As death approached her Life,
That her own Son would die for them
To save from sin and strife.

I want the key to Mary's heart
To feel her sorrow swell
When by her tears, her only Son
Took up His cross and fell.
I want to know her pain within
When they had struck His side
And left Him dying on that cross
With blood-stained arms stretched wide.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she saw through it all,
That her own Son was flogged and hurt
With every strike and fall.
He took on every mockery
That human minds could make
And took all sins of humankind,
Each error, for love's sake.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When they took down her Son,
By His apostles, followers
Who made His will be done.
Oh, let me be like Mary, Lord
To know her faith in You,
When You had died in front of her
And made the scripture true.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she beheld her Son
Within her arms that held so tight
Around the Chosen One.
He was our Godly Offering
Redeeming by His Love,
And so He was entombed in death
To be with God above.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When every joy was pined,
For she had loved her only Son
With heart, and soul, and mind.
I want to know her gladness when
She saw Him smile again
Before He rose into the sky
Amidst His chosen men.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When hope had filled her soul
Since Jesus told them, "Fear not friends,
For I shall send in whole
A ghost of Truth through tongues of fire
So all shall know Me too.
But till the Earth shall pass away,
I'll always be with you."

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she saw Jesus rise.
Someday, she'd come to be with Him
Upon those great blue skies.
The memories she shared with Him,
The ones she loved have passed.
But Mary knew from that time forth,
Her love for Christ amassed.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she continued on
To preach the kingdom of His reign
Before her time was gone.
For soon, God added in His plan
For death's cold grip to cede
And by surprise, our Blessèd Mother
Saw God intercede.

I want the key to Mary's heart
When she rose to the sky
To reign forever with her Son
And God, the One Most High.
I want to know her love divine
And share her sweet caress
For God and Christ and Spirit three
When all shall call her bless'd.

Sea of stars
Guide us from the sky;
Heaven's map.

Gem of the ocean;
A single Pearl of the East
Rose as islands.
(Philippines)

Island pearl
Shimers in the sea;
Oriental light.
(Philippines)

The Red Sun
Rises in the East;
Golden dawn.
(Japan)

Elegance
Lit with silver glow
Hangs above.
(The moon)

Fire lantern
Brings light to darkness;
Shadows flee.
(The sun)

Gentle strokes
Eloquently made -
Paintbrush speaks.

Darkness takes;
Shadows dwell within -
Evil wakes.

Moonlit buds
Blossom from the dark
Of the sky.
(Stars)

Graceful swan
Floats on moonlit path
Of silver.

Lonely soul
Trapped in submission -
A shadow.

Wise advice:
To catch bumblebees,
Use honey.

Life given
From simple creases
In paper.
(Origami)

Silver moon
Paints a reflection -
Glass shadows.
(Moonlit reflection on water)

Casted ring
Circles 'round the fire.
Spirits sing.


A Korean Shijo (3 lines, each with 14-16 syllables)

As the sun sets, the moon rises from the Eastern horizon
Bringing forth light from the heavenly sky, until the sun wakes.
A silent everlasting revery fades into slumber.

(I think I will let people think on that one. The last line, after comparison though, evokes whether everything, every cycle we go through in life is an eternal dream or illusion. The moon can be seen as the subconscious which is beautiful and we hide it from others, and that beauty can be dormant as the sun, being the conscious mind, suppress that within ourselves.)


A Filipino Tanaga (4 lines, each with 7 syllables; normally aaaa)

Though the ocean sweeps in wrath
Grains of sand along the way,
Never will the moonlit path
Disappear til break of day.

(The ocean is the subconscious mind that is always in tide, and the grains of sand are the little things that have irked us. The moonlit path however, are the lessons and memories reflected in our lives on that subconscious, and until we receive an epiphany for life, they will always remain with us.)

Kissed by the subtle summer sun
Filtered through the tallest tree,
Outside my open bedroom window
A little songbird comes to me.

I ask the feathered friend to fly
to tell my love that I still care
the songbird simply sang a song
about my love who is so fair

Within the notes I hear a message
About my love I had not known
The songbird sings of sorrow sadly
about my love from whom he'd flown

A tale of seclusion, a tale of pain
Told with a twitter and a tweet
My love has taken his own life
Sang the songbird sad and sweet

I asked the songbird to renounce
the sad sweet notes he'd sung to me
But swiftly turning he flew away
and the sun still shone so mockingly.