(McBryde National Botanical Tropical Garden, Kauai)

I ulu no ka lala I ke kumu.
(Without our ancestors, we would not be here.)

And so here we are
in the great garden where everything
is encouraged to grow.

We, too, have grown where we were planted,
venturing into the greater world to take in
other species, trees with fruit that is new to us
but is ancient to this land.

None of us would be here if the ancestors
had not thought to plant us in fertile soil,
tend us as baby shoots, nurture us into
what we are today.

Once again, we thank the trunks from
which we came—mahalo nui loa—
with everything we are

and look to the new shoots
coming up after us,
on which we continue
to shower our everlasting love.