Ann Inoshita

Da Book I Neva Need

Tonight, get one W. S. Merwin reading.
He coming from Maui, 
and I going hear him read his poems.
He get pleny awards: 
Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award.

I neva have any of his books,
so I went U.H. bookstore.
Afta Merwin pau wit his reading, 
I going ask him fo sign my book.

Layda, I walk by da tables at McCarthy Mall. 
Get only one table wit one empty seat,
so I ask da lady if she mind if I sit down
cuz I tired. 

She look down at her book.
Den she look up at me  
and brush her blonde hair away,
“Yes, I do mind.”

Sheesh, so I walk to Hamilton Library.
Da library freezing, but get seats.

Da reading was at 7:30 p.m. 
in da Hawaiʻi Institute for Geophysics Auditorium
near Kuykendall Hall.
Every time Merwin read one poem,
pleny people stay clapping,
nodding, and smiling.

I not familiar wit his work.
Maybe if I read some mo,
I going find one poem 
dat make me feel 
like everybody in dis room.

Afta da reading, I wait in line 
fo get my autograph.
Get pleny ladies near him
acting like dey his best friend.

Wen was my turn fo one autograph, 
I put my book in front of him fo sign.
Den one of da ladies tell me,
“It’s customary to ask for an autograph.”

Not enough dat I bought da book.
Not enough dat I was in line.
Not enough dat I gave him da book fo sign.

So I ask, “Can have your autograph?”
Da ladies look at me.
Den I say, “May I have your autograph?”
Da ladies smiling at me in approval.

Merwin signed my book,
but I no tink he care
if I wen ask him or not,
but da ladies did.

Wat I stay hea fo?

On da way to my dorm,
I throw da book away.

Notebook, Energy Drink, and Doritos (January 28, 2023) 

We running any kine errands today.
Gotta go Times pick up groceries.
Den we going pick up lunch.

We pass by one community park.
Da pandemic almost pau,
but still get long line of cars 
wit trunks open
fo anybody who gotta pick up food.

I waiting fo my orda at Burger King
in da food court.
Den get two security guards and two police,
one guy and one lady,
telling da guy at da table fo get out.

And da guy stay yelling, 
“I not trespass!  I not trespass!”

I dunno if da guy homeless.
He wearing one dirty UH shirt,
but I no tink he bother anybody.

Da guy in da UH shirt 
stay on his knees on da floor.
Dey putting handcuffs on him,
and he still yelling, 
“I not trespass!  I not trespass!”

Most of da people in da food court
still eating like nothing.
Only me and da lady at Burger King
watching.

Afta da police and guards left,
da guy’s stuff still stay on da table.
One notebook, energy drink, and Doritos.

Compression Socks

I ask my docta how fo prevent varicose veins on my legs.
He tell me, “Compression socks.”
He even show me his black compression socks by his ankle.
No can tell.  I just gotta wear um wit pants.

So I wen try um.  Feel so good
like one warm hug around my leg.
I get more circulation. 

Wen I stay home, 
I wear compression socks wit shorts
cuz can.  Not like I stay outside.
Nobody going know.

One day, I was resting in da living room.
I look outside da window 
and get one bunch of kids popping firecracker.
Dey lighting firecracker and running around laughing.

Den I see dem put someting in our garbage can outside.
“EH!” I run outside and all da kids run down da street.

Some kids wen hide behind some cars,
but I can see um from my yard.
One of da kids stay in da middle of da road 
just looking at me.

My hands stay on my hips
and da kid copying me
putting his hands on his hips,
so I put my hands down.

Den da kid run away.
Dey no mo nothing betta fo do?

I one old lady 
wearing compression socks
chasing afta kids.

Ann Inoshita is author of a book of poems, Mānoa Stream (Kahuaomānoa Press), and co-author of No Choice but to Follow and What We Must Remember, linked poems (renshi) with poets Juliet S. Kono, Christy Passion, and Jean Yamasaki Toyama (Bamboo Ridge Press).  What We Must Remember received the Hawaiʻi Book Publishers Association’s Ka Palapala Poʻokela Honorable Mention for Excellence in Literature.  She is the recipient of the Hawaiʻi Literary Arts Council’s 2021 Elliot Cades Award for Literature for an established writer.  

Photo by staff