Pō Laʻilaʻi - Words by Mary Pukui, Music by Maddy Lam

Kāua i ka holoholo
I ka pō mahina laʻilaʻi
E kilo hoʻonanea
I nā hōkū o ka lani

Kō mai ana ke ʻala
O ka pua ʻo ka pīkake
I halihali ʻia mai
E ka makani kolonahe

Hoʻolono ana i ke kani
Honehone a ka ʻukulele
Me ka mele hoʻohauʻoli
Hoʻolana i ka puʻuwai

Huli aku kāua i uka
I ka aʻā nā kukui
Ua like me nā hōkū
E kau ana i nā pali

Haʻina mai ka puana
No ka pō mahina laʻilaʻi
E kilo hoʻonanea
I nā hōkū o ka lan

Haʻina mai ka puana
No ka po mahina laʻilaʻi
Ho`olono ana i ke kani
Honehone a ka ʻukulele

 

Maddy K. Lam
 
Mary Pukui

 

Let's you and I go for a walk
On a clear moonlight night
To gaze with interest
At the stars in the sky

A fragrance is wafted hither
The perfume of the jasmine
Brought here to us
By a gentle breeze

We will pause to listen
To the ʻukulele's sweet refrain
With a melody so cheery
Uplifting the heart

Let us turn to look inland
As the brightness of the lights twinkle
Like many stars
Nestling on the hillside

This ends my song
Of a clear moonlight night
To gaze with interest
At the stars in the sky

This ends my song
Of a clear moonlight night
We will pause to listen
To the ʻukulele's sweet refrain

Source: Copyright 1958 Criterion Music Corp - Composed in 1955