Perched on a rock near Aloha Key
Watching family and friends, and also the sea
Anakela smiled, as her uncle she saw
Strong and handsome, this brother to her pa
Working hard at his everyday chores
Not too far from whispering shores
A twinkle in his eye, not hidden at all
By the bill of his cap, two sizes too small

Out past the waves, she watched as the sails
Raced alongside dolphins and whales
Sitting on her rock with her knee tucked neatly
She passed away hours, dreaming discreetly
Painting faces in the sand, often she would do
Waves clean her slate, to again start anew
Barely a foot tall, but as cute as can be
She loves to spend hours, alone by the sea

While drawing her faces, her chin on one knee
She saw something move, on the beach, by the sea
Leaping from her thrown, she landed with a thud
The impressions of her feet, the waters did flood
When again she looked up, the thing was not there
Straining her eyes, along the beach she did stare
Some days I wonder, she thought to herself
With a sigh, she turned to climb back up on her shelf

Scratching her head, with her face in a wrinkle
A shrug and a giggle, in her eye a slight twinkle
“Are ya lookin’ for me?” asked a voice from below
She looked down quickly, a turtle near her toe
‘Turtles can’t talk, so this surely can’t be’
‘There’s no such thing, I’m sure all would agree’
“Did you say something?” she asked looking about
From behind a rock, ‘It’s a joke’ they’d soon shout

With a blink and a nod, the turtle looked up
With cute little eyes, like a newborn pup
“I’m sorry, young lady, but yes, it was me”
“I am San’deka, the turtle king, you see”
“My friends, carefully, I must choose”
“For my crown and my life, I fear I might lose”
Blinking and confused, Anakela was in awe
This was the greatest thing that she ever saw

“I could see in your heart, the good that is in you”
“And thought, with this girl a friendship, I’ll pursue”
“Besides, whoever in the world would believe”
“A talking turtle you saw, only the naïve”
Anakela smiled and felt much relieved
A talking turtle for a friend, a gift well received
“You’re pretty smart, for someone so small”
“I guess on the inside, your several feet tall”

“Small I may be, but I’m 200 years old”
“None in your village, know the wonders I hold”
“Of that I am sure” she nodded, then added
“Let’s go sit someplace a little more padded”
She listened and listened as stories, he would tell
With each new tale, her smiles, they would swell
Anakela and San’deka sat talking for hours
Kinship growing stronger, as fresh watered flowers

As the hours grew long, she hardly took note
That the sun slowly set, on ocean, it did float
So with a tear in her eye, sadly she stood
Thanking San’deka for his friendship, that would
Last well past forever, of that she was sure
For their kinship, was something quite pure
“So long, my new friend, I’ll see you very soon”
“Perhaps in the morning, perhaps afternoon”

“When next we do meet, more secrets I will share”
“Some will make you laugh, others may scare”
“But of this I am sure, in awe you will be”
“When next you sit and share time with me”
With that Anakela smiled, leaned and did kiss
Her brand new best friend, what wonder, what bliss
Best friends now and forever, skipping with glee
What wondrous adventures await San’deka and me.