Damien

From “Kalaupapa in Poetry” by Taka Harada

Solitude and pain were his companions
Walking the path of the Suffering Servant.
How difficult to fathom
the great sorrow he felt,
The lost and aimless lives he encountered,
No hope for the morrow and
only sadness for the day.
The rocky and windswept plains of Kalaupapa,
So much like the barren and
dusty hills of Jordan,
The same hills that his Christ trod
for a lost humanity.
The hidden broken lives
obscured by human prejudice,
Or by the uncaring and unloving spirits
of the world.
Lives shattered and literally disintegrating,
Such horrible scenes
witness to society’s inhumanity.
His mind opened to the wisdom of God.
His ears heard the cries
halfway around the world.
His eyes beheld the needs of
pitiful human tragedy,
His mouth spoke words of comfort and love
for his adopted flock.
His hands unafraid to touch
the vilest of human flesh.
His heart molded by
the Master’s loving touch of compassion.
His feet walked where need resided
and cries were unheeded.
The richness of earth
comes from souls like his,
No greater love for all the world to witness.
The crown of life was his
but he did not claim it,
Oblivious to worldly fame and fortune.
He answered the Master’s call to duty.
Kalawao and Kalaupapa were but a sojourn
to this man of faith.
Damien the Blessed of Kalaupapa.

In addition to his mastery of gardening and Hawaiian throw-net fishing, Taka Harada is a published poet, known for his wise insights, gentle voice and ʻukulele strumming. He retired as the owner of his own insurance company and has served as Church Moderator for Keawalaʻi Congregational Church on the island of Maui. As a member of Ka ʻOhana ʻo Kalaupapa, he has been active in the effort to honor the memory of the 8,000 patients who died in the settlement. He has three daughters, several grandchildren, and great-grandchildren keeping him on his toes, and is married to Dr. Ellen Caringer.