This Is Not True Victory
by Michael Doyle

In memory of Queen Lili‘uokalani 
I declare this is not a true victory
When back in the year of 1893
The United States overthrew her monarchy

Despite the wrongness of things done
She did not choose the white man's guns
But instead, seeing the sins of man
She chose to forgive as a true heart can

This is the cleansing way, and it is clearer
That independence is more significant and dearer
Most see these islands as a tourist destination
But freedom does not depend on a person's station

This is a notion that has not lost its charm this day
The struggle for a free Hawai'i will not go away
A valid case can be made for constitutional sovereignty
And for the leadership that has true, factual authority

The voices of the people speak not of militancy
But as with the voices of God and with quiet dignity
God keeps His promises and restores rightful homes
Dennis Kanahele and his people do not walk this alone

The Aboriginal nation never legally ceased to exist
As a native community, it still manages to persist
Kānaka Maoli were not granted a single reservation
But make no mistake, they are a people and a nation

It has been a path in America's troubled journey
President McKinley decided that Manifest Destiny
Super-ceded the Hawaiian people's self-determination
Undermining Kanaka Maoli for the good of the nation

This is a story not just about freedom but about being alive
And the will of a Native people to do more than survive
If only federal recognition could become legislation
Hawaiian people would become the largest tribe in the nation

This, then, would give a path forward in this hour
If these native people are to ever gain any real power
The people need homes and cannot live in an apology
This is a battle for hope fought by a people living in poverty

(c) December 13, 2024   Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved