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“Duty is Joy” (A Poem for His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV) |
| | His Majesty King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV Duty is Joy
(A poem for His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV)
Tu’i Tonga,
a divine line
to Aho’eitu.
You too,
son of Tagaloa
surfing through the waves
conquering the sea.
You too,
like Maui
reaching for the sun
defying gravity, catapaulting,
a comet into they sky.
Warrior Kings
of Ha’atakalaua
the throne of your bones,
an empire in their eyes.
Kings of Kanokupolu
ghosting your every move,
legendary strategy,
uniters of people,
creators of a Kingdom.
Three ancient bloodlines
course through your veins,
Tu’i Tonga, Tu’i Ha’atakalaua, Tu’i Kanokupolu.
Poetry of Queen Salote, faithfully
inscribes the path where you have found your feet,
the strength of Tungi in your stride.
You have travelled the world, and
with strong and steady hands
plucked the best of what you’ve seen
to make a kakala for your people
as it has never seen before.
Musical notes,
float at your bidding
into the islands.
The alphabet itself,
bends at your will,
‘b’ arching into ‘p’ to please you.
Your crowning legacy
will be
the education of your people,
minds blossoming open like heilala in the sun.
Your people will never perish
Ki he lelei taha.
The road has been prepared.
But the prayers of your people
have kept you here.
Now that he sun has set in the Kingdom,
the nation is adorned in darkness,
only the ironwood tress stand still
for the people’s hearts
are at
half mast.
We remember your legacy
Ko e Tonga Mo’unga ki he Loto.
Tonga’s strength lies in a mountainous heart,
and you were Tonga’s mountain –
the pinnacle of the people’s heart.
How blessed we are by your life of service,
How we strive to climb the heights you’ve reached,
Leading always, by example,
“Res ipsa loquitur”.
by Karlo Mila
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