From BAMBOO RIDGE Issue Number 22, Spring 1984: A Tribute to George Helm & Kimo Mitchell

Poem for Kaho`olawe
                               by Tammy Laborte, Grade 4

Kaho`olawe is quiet
as the sun on it
as the wind whipers
to the island
well you rest you
think

Untitled
          by Allen Darisay, Grade 4

Kaho`olawe is now the place
to bomb Hawaiians

Where Does It All Lead To
                                                   by Kihei

1. Our ancestors traveled far
                    to find this paradise by guiding star
Now it's time to seek for ourselves
Elusive answers that books on shelves
                    do not reveal
Now it's time to take to the road
The lack of movement makes our dreams corrode
                    hope is gained through ordeal

But where does the road lead to
Where are you when we most need you
                    brother George, our helmsman in the night
The sea has taken you as its own
Now I'm feeling more and more alone
                    as I stare at the water seeking a guiding light

2. Yes, we all have journeyed far
                    looking for that same guiding star
I saw the writing on the wall
And I took it for a child's scrawl
                    just grafitti
I watched the double hulled canoe
Sail till it disappeared from view
                    toward Tahiti

But where does the voyage lead to
Where are you, Eddie, when most we need you
                    I'm not sure but the stars seem to give me a clue
I see the starlight in children's eyes
And at once I can make the ties
          You lit our hearts so we can carry it through

3. Peace is an elusive kind of friend
                    Island living is conducive towards this end
But I learned that the real chase
Only starts when you find your pace
          some peace of mind
Through the efforts of a dying race
May we find our rightful place
                    in the nick of time

Where does this song lead to
Brother George, help me through
                    brother Kimo, what more can I sing
In a way we're lost at sea
Trying to find that harmony
                    guided by the sacrifice of you three
searching for the right key
Seeking some harmony