Stuff contributed by lasansei

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Stone Songs
Amy Uyematsu, traci kato-kiriyama
Happy New 2023, everyone! What better way to begin than with the beauty of poetry and prose from Amy Uyematsu and her most recent collection, That Blue Trickster Time (What Books Press). Here, we have three selections from a wise and fiery collection with a life force she breathes through her words of …

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Year-ending
Amy Uyematsu, Tamiko Nimura, traci kato-kiriyama
As we survey the past year of lockdowns and quarantines that started here in the States by mid-March, 2020, we take stock of a wide spectrum of revelations and experiences over the last twelve months. From new personal practices and experiments in the arena of safer-at-home, to illness and loss, …

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Inspiration
Amy Uyematsu, G Yamazawa, traci kato-kiriyama
Hello Discover Nikkei network! I am beyond thrilled this month to bring this pair of poets to the Nikkei Uncovered poetry column. LA-born and raised, veteran Sansei poet and our inaugural feature for the column back in 2016, Amy Uyematsu returns to us with a beautiful piece about Tanko Bushi …

My E.O. 9066 Stories: Frank Kikuchi, Manzanar DJ
Amy Uyematsu
On April 12, 2017, I interviewed Frank Kikuchi, a local Nisei who currently lives at Hollenbeck-Palms Retirement Community. Frank, now 93 years young, was a disc jockey at Manzanar, where he was confined from 1942 through 1945. Frank and Archie Miyatake were good friends and became a DJ team. These …

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Location
Amy Uyematsu, Hiroshi Kashiwagi, traci kato-kiriyama
For the column’s inaugural post, we wanted to begin with the theme of place, location, and community and to highlight two veteran poets—Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Nisei poet based in San Francisco since 1962, and Amy Uyematsu, Sansei poet and native Angeleno. We are excited to begin with two writers who dedicate …

The Asian American Literary Review
Poems by Amy Uyematsu
Amy Uyematsu
Orchid Season in Mr. Ikeda’s Garden : The “Welcome” sign still hangs abovehis garden gate