I forgot to ask my mother 'Why?'

     

           ukEke     ukEke     ukEke     ukEke     ukEke

               the bird I couldn't see from my lanai 

                    where I was on my yogasana mat

           Sang in full-body delight

          ukeke     ukeke     ukeke     ukeke     ukeke

                a deep, low chorus rang back from afar

                     perhaps from the plumeria trees all over Maui

          As if asking are you sure, you young one?

          these are a favorite of Shiva

               my mother's floating voice sang-back in my ear

                    (whom I haven't called in a while)

          As she picked the velvety white-yellows from our small nandivardhana tree

          it is in the way some said  

               In the way of a new gate in wicket fence around yard

                    I used to stand in the emptiness

          where the tree used to, my small feet on sawed-off trunk

          ukEke     ukEke     ukEke     ukEke     ukEke

               the bird replied in same full-body delight

                    Echoing the brimming blue-green waters

          and black-stony mountains sipping from fresh morning clouds 

          for sure it doesn't have autism  -

               the bird I couldn't see from my lanai

                    Its body is singing interaction however it wishes

          for its daily dance of survival

          If it had autism, for sure

               its body can't sing interaction however it wishes

                    for its daily dance of survival  -
          the bird I couldn't see from my lanai

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* Nandivardhana - Plumeria