Lomeo and Iulieki, one pidgin tragedy—-500 words

Wuz one hot August night

In fair Kapahulu

Under one full, 

moon

of da egg

of da Golden Duck.

Gang fights

Da Wong ʻohana 

Against 

Da Mahi ʻohana

Big, big beefs

ʻOhana against ʻohana

On da basketball court

At da bus stop

At Alex Drive In. 

Big beefs

Going get mo trouble.

Finally, da judge wen tell

Da warring ʻohanas

Nuff already

Da next time I catch you fighting 

You all going jail

Dogs, cats, cockroaches,

Everybody.

 

Da generations wen pass.

Nuff already.

Da Wongs and da Mahis

wen foget da beefs.

Wuz one hot summa day.

Baby Moke Wong’s first lūʻau.

Everybody invited 

No foget nobody 

Guess what?

Had so many people

Even young Lomeo Mahi 

and his gang

Wen come

Going get big trouble. 

 

Byron, Baby Moke’s uncle 

Wen spock Lomeo 

and his gang.

Right away, 

Uncle Byron

wen tell Aunty Lani. 

Going get trouble.

 

Lomeo came to da baby lūʻau 

Alone.

He saw da most beautiful wahine,

In one long, 

Pele-red

holokū.

Her name was Iulieki.

Dey wen dance all night.

Unda da flashing stars.

Deep, deep aloha

at first sight.

Going get trouble.

Afta da lūʻau,

Lomeo nevah like go home.

He wen take notice

of one big spot light.

In da Wong house.

He wen climb one big

plumeria tree.

 

 Look! Da window, ova there!

Choke termites swarming

 in dat light! 

How come? 

But wait — dat’s not one light

Dat’s one wahine

She glowing

like one big bombucha light

To da termites.

Dey all like be around her

Swarming

Swarming 

Till dey all come so dizzy

Den slowly, slowly 

da wings drop

And dey all die

Dey all die

For her

for Iulieki

For her

Dey drop da small, 

washi paper wings

Funny kine, da buggahs 

No can fly

Dey all like die

For her

For Iulieki

Da brightest bombucha

 light in da sky.

Mo big

her brightness 

Dan da moon

of da egg

of da Golden Duck.

Iulieki came out

on her lanai

She wen call out.

Lomeo, Lomeo, 

Where you stay?

We jus wen meet 

At Baby Moke’s lūʻau

And I no can tink of

Anyting else.

I wen even foget 

Da name of my boyfriend.

No can tink 

Of anyting else.

Aunty Lani wen yell out.

Iulieki! Iulieki!

Come inside da house!

Shut da screen door!

All da mosquitoes going come in!

I coming Aunty!

Real hot in da house,

I coming.

But Iulieki

wen spock Lomeo

in her favorite 

plumeria tree.

Dat’s him!

Da ʻono-looking boy 

I wen dance wit!

 

Lomeo! Lomeo!

What you doing in dat tree?

 

He wen answer her.

Iulieki

I no like go home

I like talk and

Weave words wit you

Like stringing leis

From dis plumeria tree.

 

Aunty Lani wen call out.

Iulieki! Getting late!

Who you talking to?

 

Coming Aunty!

Lomeo,

Let’s make one plan 

Fo meet.

Gotta be one secret.

 

Iulieki,

Let’s hele out of 

Fair Kapahulu.

Our ʻohanas

No get along.

Lomeo and Iulieki

Wen escape 

From da pilikia

Going get trouble.