2008 In Retrospect

Why is it I am so retrospective this evening? Probably because my entire family is here and I have reason to feel blessed. Kids running through the house, doors slamming, holding children upside down and having them laugh out loud. Lots of food, and laughter.
What could I have done different to make this year better? Absolutely nothing. My wife may tell you I could have eaten more rice, but that's about it. If that's all the direction that I need, I'll eat more rice in 2009 and hopefully still hold my grandchildren up by their feet and dangle them over the sofa and listen to them scream.
And someday they will recall seeing their grandfather from a unique perspective and knowing that love filled their lives while they grew up to be all they could be.
Yes, I'm blessed, albeit a little rice deficient, but nonetheless blessed.

Freedom Is Not Free

I'm taking time this holiday season to reflect upon my love of America.
We citizens of the United States made history in November by electing the first black President in our two hundred and thirty two years as a sovereign country. It is time that we as a nation look forward and put our fears and mistrust behind us and give a resounding shout of "Yes, we can". We can be far greater than we believe. It only takes you and me and a common goal to live a better life than our Fathers.
As a citizen who served twenty three years in the armed forces I stand absolutely firm in my belief of the American citizen and the freedoms we are blessed with. No other country in the world allows it's citizens the rights we in America are born with. There is still work to do in regards to equal rights for all people, homelessness, and education, but given time I believe a change is coming.
In reflection of religious zealots, I have this to say to you, "you will be defeated." The difference between you and us is that we are inclusive, and that makes us far greater than any threat you possess. You can see my sentiment in a picture that my son photographed at the twin towers site in New York City.
Before I go, let me extend my thanks to all those in the military past and present who gave us all the rights and privileges that come with being an American. My thoughts and prayers are with you all, those who have served, those who still fight, and those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice. No one wants peace more than someone who has seen war, and for you I wish peace and love, and for those who have yet to find peace, I bid you understanding and the courage to seek it.

August Moon

Earth's lone mirror
illuminates my spirit,
while thoughts of mortality
fill my idle mind.

Your presence awakens me,
brightens my darkness,
commands the ebb and flow of blood
through my dilated veins.

Cold, barren, immortal,
scarred throughout the eon.
What blessings and curses
have you been party to?

My 12 Wishes This Christmas

I want my Grandchildren to grow up in a world without hate and prejudice

I want genocide to stop NOW

I want homelessness and hunger to end for everyone

I want religion to be used for it’s real purpose, and not used to breed hate and exclusion

I want a cure for cancer to be found

I want to be loved

I want to deserve what I have

I want to be more trusting of people

I want everyone to respect and nourish the earth and it’s natural resources

I want an end to animal cruelty

I want to be more tolerant of those different than myself

I want it all to start with me

Celestial Haiku

Moon sits on tree top
Venus and Jupiter blush
from the winter chill

Persimmon and Lemon Harvest

The end of November until the second week of December means fruit harvest at our home.
The Fuyu-kaki persimmon, and the Meyer's lemon are both ready to harvest this time of year in zone 8 where we live. Our Persimmon tree is temperamental. Some years we have an abundant harvest, and other years a very meager harvest. This year was somewhere in between the two. Our Meyer's lemon tree on the other hand always produces alot of fruit. We have so many lemons that I give away most, and have to throw away many because we can't possibly use them all. This year I will not throw away any, instead I'll offer then to a local soup kitchen. That way I can pay it forward to those less fortunate. It's good that I am becoming wiser as I grow older. It reminds me of a quote from somewhere in my past, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." I think I'd rather life deal me tomatoes so I could make a Bloody Mary.

La Douceur de Vivre

Blessings of friendship found me today reminiscing of the same. Waking early to prepare the Thanksgiving meal put me in the mindset of how truly blessed I am personally to have family and friends that love one another.
This time of year gives me pause to reflect upon each of these special people and to tell each one how very special and important they are to me. Our family started a tradition a few years ago. Before we have our Thanksgiving meal we all gather around the table and take our turn telling what we are most thankful for in our lives. This year I will say I'm thankful for my ability to give and receive love from both family and friends. I think receiving love is just as important as giving it. It's unselfish and appreciated by both the giver and receiver.
So, to all my family and dear friends from coast to coast, from Japan to the UK, I love you all. Best wishes and blessings this holiday season.
-Kim

La Belle Vie

You didn’t like to smile that much
always saying that your teeth were crooked
I thought your smile was beautiful
falling for that offset grin

Late night coffee with you
Reading Thomas Moore ‘til three
All whilst holding hands
like lovers wish

Waking late and feeding you cereal in bed
with a plastic spoon
Wiping milk from your chin
with a paper napkin I kept tucked in my hand

One day when we grow up
I promise to write you a poem
and feed you in bed
with a silver spoon

And I Thought I Was Strong

I always thought I was strong. I grew up with parents who both worked. That left me alone most days after school to do for myself. I was blessed to be raised in the Southern woods of Mississippi where I could practice my independence at a young age. I can still recall the first fish I caught, and hunting in the deep pine forests alone at 10 years of age. People say I remind them so much of my maternal grandfather. I never met him, but the stories people tell of him are stories of a kind and humble man. Stories of him leaving food on doorsteps of the less fortunate in our community never staying long enough to be discovered or thanked. Stories of a good and strong man. But this story isn't about me or my grandfather. It's about my wife, Nan.
As a young girl in 1975 she left everything she knew and stepped aboard a shrimp boat sitting at the dock of the Saigon River in South Vietnam, and with faith and courage alone never looked back. How she survived that long and dangerous voyage into the open sea I cannot imagine. If you are interested in more of her story just look for Nan's Papaya in this blog. I wrote this to honor Nan and her Mother. Both women of incredible courage.
Recently Nan has undergone multiple surgeries, 6 months of chemotherapy, been hospitalized for pneumonia, and endured the pain of breast cancer. It's been two long years of living on faith. When I ask myself where she finds the strength to go through it all, I remember who she is and her strong constitution she inherited from her Mother. What a blessing it is to be her husband. My God, I thought I was the strong one.

What I miss about Japan

Teaching English at Jaegaru Elementary School was such a joy. The kids were very well behaved albeit a little mischievous at times. I wouldn't trade anything for the time I spent as their teacher. I'm so blessed to have been a part of their life, and I hope I shaped their future in some small way.

Today My Son Turns 31

It seems as though it was just yesterday and you were a little boy running around, jumping in my lap, asking questions of why, how, and where to every conceivable subject you could think of. Now 31 years later you are grown with children of your own asking you the same type questions you asked me. I'm supremely happy for you for being the man that you are and the family you have. That in itself let's me realize that we raised you right.
Let's see what the next 31 years brings. God willing, you will someday look at your son when he turns 31 and feel the accomplishment and satisfaction that I am feeling today.

Cricket In Verse

An Angel in Liverpool will be the only person who understands this poem. But that's my intent.





A bowler, a batsman, and a cricket bat
I'm learning a little and that's just that
You play on grass and bowl at a wicket
If the opposing team pouts you tell 'em to stick it

The bowler belongs to the fielding team
And hurls a ball by the leather seam
If the batsmans not out they run between wickets
And exchange positions with the non striker in cricket

Cricket it seems doesn't have cheerleaders,
And that's quite sad, because I had a few leaders.
One was a cheer for the MMU girl's team
And the other was for an Angel I met in a dream.

It's nice to have friends who are different than you
They can teach you about things you never knew
Like how to laugh, and listen, and be glad
Even when their flatmates think they are mad.

So this one’s for Angel, a girl I adore
She's sweet, and she's kind, and never a bore
I tell her with this poem that my friendship will last
Long after the cricket game fades in the past

My Shoulders

Are my shoulders strong enough
to lift you from the mire?
Can they endure the strain and burn
to lift you even higher?

Can my presence give to you
a friendship you can trust?
A knowing in your heart and soul
that tells you that you must.

Reach out my friend and take my hand
if ever you are wronged.
I'll be there to lift you up
my shoulders they are strong.

A Gecko Came a Calling

Halloween night comes once a year. Time for all the young and some not so young to dress up, grab their pails, and visit their neighbors for goodies and treats. I find that the older I get, the more I enjoy handing out candy, and greeting the young visitors at my door. This year was no exception. I particularly enjoyed this year because it was the first year my grandson Bobby got to dress up and participate in the holiday frivolities. After 30 minutes he was back home and enjoying his treats. He got to eat a lot of chocolate and know what a sugar rush is all about. This is him in the Gecko suit. He is a great kid.

The Gift Of My Father

To my Father a WWII veteran who fought alongside General Patton


















Camp Shelby Mississippi is where it all began,
the transformation to a soldier from an unassuming man.
Soon thrust into a battle to preserve our country's rights,
enduring cold, hunger, fear, and distance from his wife.


He stood tall when called upon, and always did his best,
and never once you heard him brag about the medals on his chest.
Honor, commitment, loyalty, and the courage to stand tall...
I reflect upon my Father and the gift he gave us all.

Copper Pennies

Like copper pennies in a young man’s pocket
taken for granted
so was my love
I had for you

Tossed into the corner
only to be used if needed
Both gathered dust
and were neglected

Now old and poor
I yearn for the sound of pennies in my pocket
and you
softly and sweetly calling my name

Keep Your Liu's and Hu's and Wu's

A tongue in cheek poem written for my wife. When you finally realize it's not all about looks.













As long as I can remember
I've loved those Asian eyes
I think it hit me for the first time
when I was four or five

That almond shape, that slanted form
my tiny brain did burn
I dreamed of hugging Nancy Kwan
oh how my heart did yearn

Then when I was almost twenty
I met my future wife
a kind and lovely Asian gal
with whom I'd spend my life

Then it suddenly hit me
like a loaf of day old bread
I wasn't seeing Asian eyes
it was a beautiful soul instead

So keep your Liu's and Hu's and Wu's
that's not what I really must
I found that it was much more deep
it's love built out of trust

Chotto Matte

A romantic plea to a young geisha after seeing her cross the street in Shinbashi.

Chotto matte kudesai ...
may I ask your name?
I've never seen such beauty
in a woman 'til this day.

Your lips are redder than a rose,
your eyes so dark and brown,
I catch my breath and ask your name
I beg don't let me down.

Chotto matte kudesai ...
before you go I pray,
that our paths will cross again
somehow, somewhere, someday.

The Looking Pool

I wrote this poem about 20 years ago.

A period of time when my children were young, and I had found a beautiful island named Okinawa to call home.

I never had a photo to go along with the poem, but now I do.

It's my granddaughter standing at the edge of the sea, and yes she lives in Uruma-shi Okinawa.

I dedicate this poem to the beautiful little girl who calls me Pawpaw.

How supremely fitting my poem has finally found it's home after two decades.

One early morning I awoke
and walked down to the sea
and knelt down by a tidal pool
on a beach in Uruma-shi

Reflections of the sky and clouds
blue and white as I'd ever seen
then looking deep within the pool
I saw the strangest thing

An angel appeared and spoke to me
I listened to what she said
her every word was like the breeze
that blew above my head

She spoke of Okinawa
and the beauty of the land
She spoke of mother nature
and the brotherhood of man

And when she finished speaking
a tear rolled off her brow
I then awoke and stood up
and walked back in to town

Today I Learned From My Child

This blog is for my son..

Andy, I'm so proud of you for all you have done with your life. Most of all I'm proud that you kept your promise to me...you know what that means.

Do you remember when I was away in Naval Officer School in Newport, Rhode Island? That is where I learned the meaning of being a gentleman, and mostly the meaning of honesty and leadership.

Today you showed me that you are a product of my beliefs. You showed me that I can trust you unconditionally. I am proud to be your dad. Mom and I are proud of you for your accomplishments and your love.

Cherry Blossoms

Winter passed silently
snowflakes a memory
Spring calls surprisingly
like a visitor at the door.

Pink petals fall
to the ground
covering the footpaths
left by lovers

Oh, how I must wait
another season
for my beautiful sakura
with only my imagination to recall