Just Watch---Calm and Balm in Oahu

Walking out to the backyard
one hundred feet from the sea wall  
my brother's daily wakeup on Oahu  
nature provides a calm to life  
 
Me the naive mainlander  
see a crab and wonder if it is live  
the creatures still living are on the other side  
making their way back to the water  
 
Hear the waves crashing against the rocks  
a shirtless dude  
makes he way across the area  
and offers a fish my brother in turns gives a coconut  
 
The coconuts are in fact an experience  
I am warned not to occupy space directly under the tree  
each year people are killed by coconuts  
banging their heads  
 
Also intriguing in that the time spent  
getting to the meaty part of the coconut  
doesn't seem like all the effort just to get it open  
to bad one can't just take a straw and insert  
 
A trek in the ocean does take a bit longer  
a four minute walk down a path  
to the beach that is occupied  
largely by natives  
 
The tourist hang elsewhere  
and the signs about the turtles are for  
folk like me who have never  
encounter turtles this big before  
 
The water isn't as warm as the East Coast  
but a last it isn't as cold as the pool  
which doesn't have a heater (yet)  
always one bee in when I endeavor to clean  
 
The shipping lanes closer to downtown  
the boats are coming out  
some cruising others out for fishing  
whale season isn't here  
 
I take my obligatory pictures of the turtles and mountains  
no dolphins at this time but my big hope  
with four more days until back to  
continental US living  
 
The location is out in the country  
in fact the "Country" bus is essentially  
the only public transit  
the "Express" designation skips two stops  
 
Black folk are are said to have CPT (Colored People's Time)  
here it feels like everyone is on Island People's Time  
even the bus waits to see is a cool cat leisurely strolling  
desires a country bus ride  
 
The city dwellers may be pressed for time  
and the traffic for rush hour is reminiscent  
of any other city with jobs predominantly  
in the city  
 
But out here in Oahu  
things are at a relaxed paced  
the most populated weekend spots  
are practically vacant  
 
In those working day hours  
a child might be seen with a fishing rod  
but surprisingly they aren't found  
on the nearest beach  
 
The jury is out on my desire to reside  
but it definitely makes a source of tranquility and peace  
and a wonderful break and recharge  
before the adventures of Summer camp  
 
And yes the political landmines aka  
life in the good old USA