This week, I’ll be spotlighting a poem I wrote a few weeks back that centers around two topics: World War II and diabetes. So how are these two topics linked exactly? First, let me describe my relationship to diabetes. Like many Micronesians, if I was told to think of my cultural foods, the comfort food that I grew up with, I… Read More
Capturing Waves of Change at the Palolo Ohana Learning Center (a workshop reflection)
Yesterday wrapped up the end of a weeklong workshop on photography and poetry at the Palolo Ohana Learning Center – a center which caters to the Palolo Housing community here in Honolulu – entitled “Capturing Waves of Change” (pretty cliche of a title but hey, I was cramming during the application). The workshop was funded by a grant from the… Read More
interview awesomeness
So I recently had the honor of being interviewed by Heather Jarvis on Radio Australia for World Poetry Day. I’m not exactly sure how Heather found out about my writing, but she contacted me via facebook and we ended up scheduling a phone interview. I have to admit – I was pretty psyched. I’m a pretty new writer and it’s… Read More
poem: Bursts of Bianca
When you come through the door, she is a burst of smiles sunny afternoons giggle glitter and deepdeep eyes deepdeep dimples that radiate from her starchy crinkled gown She is 10 you see the feeding tube snaking into her nose the iv that breaks into the skin of her wrist the twist of her fists in her sheets But don’t… Read More
poem: Tell Them
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9D88ST9qbw&feature=player_embedded] Tell Them I prepared the package for my friends in the states the dangling earrings woven into half moons black pearls glinting like an eye in a storm of tight spirals the baskets sturdy, also woven brown cowry shells shiny intricate mandalas shaped by calloused fingers Inside the basket a message: Wear these earrings to parties to your… Read More
poem: History Project
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJm0pCbHB6Y] History Project at fifteen I decide to do my history project on nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands time to learn my own history, I decide I weave through book after article after website all on how the US military once used my island home for nuclear testing I sift through political jargon tables of nuclear weapons with names… Read More