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Bamboo Shoots Submission for Fishing100
Now Days Not Like Befo
Ojichan neva say
Now days not like befo
Wen I ride my bike all ova Wahiawa,
From da heights down to Ka’ala side
Back home, afta my bruddas already wen take a bat’,
O wen I stay play flag football widda guys,
Not even wen I stay fool him ‘bout goin to japanee school.
He used to watch me from da back yard
Walkin to da school,
Wen he turn aroun, I run real fas to da park
To play wit my kanaka, pake and pocho frens.
He only say dat one day
Haoles goin talk japanee and
I cannot.
Love this Joy. Made me smile, then laugh. Only one word I don't know, "pocho." But I can imagine. You have the child's voice just right, it gives me the sense of what it feels like to be overseen by adults, to fool them, to do what I'd want (go to the park and play) and to always be threatened (you won't be able to talk to the haoles if you don't learn Japanese) by something that the adults hold over your head. I love the rideiculousness of all the haoles speaking Japanese – what a clever threat. Enjoyed. Charming
Alice Folkart