In 2005, he and two SU colleagues co-edited the book, Community and difference: teaching, pluralism and social justice, Peter Lang Publishing, New York. It won the 2006 National Association of Multicultural Education Phillip Chinn Book Award. In July of 2010, his book of poetry entitled, A Cold Wind from Idaho was published by Black Lawrence Press in New York. His poems appear in Ambush Review, Raven Chronicles, New Orleans Review, Floating Bridge Review, Black Lawrence Press website, Poets Against the War website, Cerise Press, Nostalgia Magazine, Plumepoetry, Malpais Review, Zero Ducats,Surviving Minidoka (book), Meet Me at Higos (book), Minidoka-An American Concentration Camp (book and photographs), Tidepools Magazine, and the Seattle Journal for Social Justice.
In addition, eight of his poems were interpreted in a 60 minute dance presentation entitled, Minidoka performed by Whitman College students in Walla Walla, Washington (2011).
Lawrence Matsuda by Alfredo Arreguin
NISEI FALL
Fall down seven
times, rise up again.
In Rainier’s
shadow, sacred torii* beckons like Mt. Fuji,
welcome sight
after our release from WWII desert prisons.
Cherry blossoms
flutter like snow.
*________
Japanese archway
gate
WEDDING POEM
for Matthew and Jesika
Who
stands on this precipice of life?
Lavender,
sage, and thyme--plump bumblebees hover at play.
Rose-entwined
fences welcome this husband and wife.
Bachelor
spiders spin gossamer threads—rife
with
sticky strands fluttering to Elliott Bay.
Who
stands before me on this precipice of new life?
Laughing
children in the park, a dozen Monarch butterflies.
Sacred
vows bind forever and a day.
Rose-entwined
fences welcome this husband and wife.
Rings
sparkle and shine, illuminate the golden afterlife.
Near
pineapple sage, hummingbirds fly away.
Who
stands before me on this precipice of new life?
Dark
skies and rain--cobblestones on the road of life.
Bells
toll and inspire determination to stay.
Who
stands before me on this precipice of new life?
Fate
unveils surprises, wonderments, cheer, and strife.
Tears
of happiness and joy--a blessing, I pray.
Who
stands before me on this precipice of life?
Rose-entwined
fences welcome this new husband and wife.
WRITE YOUR POEM!
So why do you write your poem? Is it political? Is it personal? Is it both?
Ancient court poets of Japan gave rise to certain forms to let the readers and listeners know what was their intent. A renga was a collaborative poem. The tanka ended up being a romantic form for court poetry. Sometimes the West gives us some formal forms but when that started to break down before 20th century experimentation forms tell us less about the poet and more about the experiment.
What is your experiment? Does your reader know? Does it matter? Write your poem. Give it to a random stranger on the bus (try not to get arrested. Already enough poets that have that problem....)
WRITE YOUR POEM!
So why do you write your poem? Is it political? Is it personal? Is it both?
Ancient court poets of Japan gave rise to certain forms to let the readers and listeners know what was their intent. A renga was a collaborative poem. The tanka ended up being a romantic form for court poetry. Sometimes the West gives us some formal forms but when that started to break down before 20th century experimentation forms tell us less about the poet and more about the experiment.
What is your experiment? Does your reader know? Does it matter? Write your poem. Give it to a random stranger on the bus (try not to get arrested. Already enough poets that have that problem....)
