II. To Escape Paradise

Walking backward now I watch myself, my face reversedin the mirrored glass. I open it and turn the clock handsback to … More

I. Trial

I think there was air, but I had trouble finding it,between talking with you and passing out, I madeshort exploratory … More

I see when I have finally walked almost to the endof this said old oak forest, and I am going, … More

I’m no spring chicken, as my dad used to say.What if this is what life will be like until the … More

I picked up the phone and pretended to haveconversations with you, imitating my parentsthe way kids do. But you never seemed … More

the bulb flickers dark to light to dark to light like a strobing spotlight making everything go slow-motion it’s … More

A big shout out to all those with shuttered dreamswho were in the plays, maybe breaking records,I mean broke, broke … More

I can taste the salt on my lips I lick with my tongueconstantly my lips chapping and peeling a littlefor … More

You roseand do not hide from memy ancient observationhow you grow I seea healing once more for memy constant patient … More

What’s meant by the “side” of the bed, since you wake up on it,obviously is the half you lie on, … More

We don’t have to play this station anymorethe one with the sick twisted DJ of broken recordsthe shiny vinyl player … More

Here’s a peace of Hawai‘ithat’s in a part of Honoluluwhere I breathe hanging bymy knees so Pauoa Valley’s a mountainand … More

After that fallI thought going to the beachby myselfwas a great way to escapefrom everything. Almost, except, you know, it’s … More

Before Waikīkī became the center of attraction,there was downtown Honolulu, and the biggest chunkof real estate in downtown Honolulu was … More

it might take the entire Marine Corps and moreat this pointto storm the distance between us,take it, break it,because our … More

way too much hairI can’t get cut nowfor who knows how longlike I haven’t had it this longsince grad school … More

so dis year I only goin be one half year oldahdan I was my las birtday. Cuzj’like I nevah live wit … More

She says, Surely you’re kidding me about Waikīkī.I say, Oh, yes, — no offense — of course . . . … More

Each time we meet, we roam the hills of imagination,plucking up little plots, new twists and turnsleading only to a … More

I said, You’re so appealing,you set my mind reeling,lady I got a powerful feelingI’m about to fall hard. I could … More