Ku`u Hoa (My Companion) - by Francis Keali`inohopono Beamer

He aloha ku`u ipo

Ku`u hoa maka onaona

Noho i ke kuahiwi

 

 

E ho`i mai nö kä ua

Me a`u e pili e ku`u `i`ini

A ka pu`u wai

 

 

O ka pä könane

A ka mahina la

Ahuwale no ka pae `opua

 

 

Ha`ina mai ka puana

Ku`u hoa maka onaona

Noho i ke kuahiwi

 

Love for my sweetheart

My gentle-eyed companion

Who resides in the mountains

 

 

Let us return, we two

My desire (for you) is

Always in my heart

 

 

Brightly shining

Is the moon

Revealing the cloudbanks

 

 

Tell the refrain of

My gentle-eyed companion

Who resides in the mountains

 

Source: Marion Leong - Written in 1937 for the composer's wife, Louise Leiomalama Walker Beamer. She was the Hawaiian culture consultant for the movie "Waikiki Wedding" starring Bing Crosby. Injuring her foot, she was unable to work at the studio for a week, inspiring Pono to set his desire to music - to return with his sweetheart to their home in the kuahiwi of Alewa Heights.