Portrait

by Kim Steutermann Rogers

If I were to paint
the face of Kauai,
I would use a palette of greens.

Eyes whorled in iliau
lashed with lau hala
browed in banana leaves exposed
to northeast tradewinds

Moving down to the nose,
I would paint kalo
veined with life in full sun
A mouth in the thin grin of koa,
dimpled with unripe loulu berries

If I were to paint
a male face in green,
I would introduce a beard
of ironwood fuzz
But I think of Kauai
as a woman, and so

I would add strands of maile
vining from the top of her head to her toes
And rouge her cheeks
the newness of resurrected alula leaves.