Poems

Frances Kakugawa Special to The Hawai‘i Herald Sometimes, out of nowhere, someone will send a simple email or a handwritten letter, or will even follow me out after a lecture to remind me why we write...

Lois-Ann Yamanaka Published with Permission by Bamboo Ridge Press (1993) PUEO DON’T FLY Bernie let me touch the glass eyes in the tray at his shop. He order um from a magazine call Van Dyke. He tell sheeps and goat get the same eye. Chinese ring neck pheasant or blue pheasant same like a chicken....

Eric Chock Published with Permission, From “ Best of Bamboo Ridge” (1986) I was in love with the word “aloha” Even though I heard it over and over I let the syllables ring in my ears and I believed the king with outstretched hand was welcoming everyone who wanted to live here And I ignored....

Frances H. Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Omoiyari . . . Think of others first and good karma will return to you. — Frances H. Kakugawa Dear Readers, I have some good news to share with you. You may have noticed that questions and interactions from readers have been on the decline in recent months. That....

Juliet S. Kono From “Hilo Rains,” Republished with Permission Editor’s note: “Hilo Rains,” Juliet Kono Lee’s first book of poetry, was published in 1988 by Bamboo Ridge Press. The poems draw on Kono’s and her family’s...

Frances H. Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Happy New Year, Readers! I hope you had an enjoyable New Year’s Day. My Nov. 1 column interest in which two husbands shared their experience of bathing their disabled wives generated the kind of interest I had not expected. Here is some of the feedback I received. Dear Frances,....

Frances Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist I am writing this column before I leave for Hawai‘i to give several talks on caregiving and to introduce my new book on Kapoho. To be honest, I’m feeling a bit burnt out after spending much of my last 20 years doing talks on the road. As fate would have....

THE LADY AND THE FISHERMAN By Gary Tachiyama Every ulua has someone’s name on it some day I’ll find one with mine but just as he cast his pole, she folded the moon in half and stuffed it in the back pocket of her faded blue jeans and walked away on a ridge wave He....

Frances Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Dear Readers, I’d like to introduce you to two male caregivers from my monthly support group in Sacramento. Bob first shared his “On Bathing Fran” two months ago. Then a month later, Ross responded to Bob’s poem with his “How to . . .” Their words speak volumes of who....

Frances H. Kakugawa Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Omoiyari . . . Think of others first and good karma will return to you. — Frances H. Kakugawa An Open Letter to the Press and Dr. Oz Special attention is suddenly being paid to Alzheimer’s disease on television and in the news media because a famous person’s mother....