Duke Wellington is Kaua‘i’s paniolo from Essex England, and now also one of the Island’s leading poets. Wellington has recently published “He Mau Mo‘olelo Na Kekahi Paniolo Pelekane – Tales by An English Paniolo,” an illustrated book of local poetry
Duke Wellington is Kaua‘i’s paniolo from Essex England, and now also one of the Island’s leading poets.
Wellington has recently published “He Mau Mo‘olelo Na Kekahi Paniolo Pelekane – Tales by An English Paniolo,” an illustrated book of local poetry he’s put out under his own “Rocking W Press” imprint. The Westside-based author wrote the book over the past two years. Wellington said choosing poetry came from a youthful love of the poems of World War I generation poet Robert Service and others.
Consciously or unconsciously the prose recalls the sound and spirit of Wellington’s fellow Englishman and poet Rudyard Kipling is also apparent in his wriiting as he tells of “Sherrif Bear” in Waimea Valley, of his adventures coming to Hawai‘i during the Korean War, and of his own life and family.
The poems – whcih accurately capture slices of local life on Kaua‘i – each have their own story, which is told in an introduction.
“The Tale of Sheriff Bear” reads:
In Waimea Valley they killed a big boar Bernanrd took home meat, and the tusks in the jaw. Each weekend he’d wait for his uncle to come, And he’d dream of the day he could own his own gun.
Like Kipling, Wellington uses poetry as a lively way to tell a tale. Wellington’s personal tale of growing up as an English schoolboy in the 1940s with a dream of being an American Indian is as interesting as his poetry.
Today he continues to live that childhood dream out at his Rocking W Ranch, which is located on the Koloa side of the Ha‘upu Range. Wellington’s wife Millie provided a well-executed painting of his spread, with a mountain backdrop, for the cover of the book. Millie also provided the photos for the book.
Wellington is scheduled to sign copies of his book on Thursday, Dec. 30 at Borders Books & Music in Lihu‘e.
