introduction - kamehameha schoolsbryant kubo . the fighting by: jonah logotala puli japanese heroes...
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
Contained within this booklet are Tanka poems written by students of the Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus. These poems speak about the bravery and dedication that was displayed by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Battalion during World War II. Through these writings, authors express their feelings about what Japanese Americans endured during this time. Enjoy!
A Poem For You, 4-4-2
Although they are gone We honor the 4-4-2 They may not see dawn Again, and we may be blue We honor you 4-4-2 By: Acacia Coloma-Mariano
Gone
Surrounded by death
Lives are taken away now
Taking their last breath
I begin to take a bow
To those who have died for me By: Ilima Fisher
Fought for our country Fought as an American
To protect our great homeland We die together as one
Kaʻala Foster
Restrained Heroes
I express my pride
For the country I live in
But they won’t believe
That my people are loyal
We remain caged, with hopes high
By: Keoni Frampton
Bonds
Bonds once made, ruined
at the sight of fighter jets.
One side chaotic,
as the other brings chaos.
Bonds, yet again made through blood.
By: Olivia Franco
Imprisoned but fighting
Came to our home
Took my father and brothers
Were taken to camps
Mistreated, weakened, and sick
Still I volunteer to fight
By: Lawrence Harris
Reach For The Stars by: Micah Ing
Brave, noble leader
Charging to the highest heights
Living positive
With a heart of gold, he strikes
Honoring America
The soldiers they fought They fought for our great nation Risked their lives for us Made our nation proud and bold Their legacy won’t get old By: Kalei Kamalii
The Soldiers
All I see is red Blood and fire surround me I am Japanese Fighting for my great country Still they treat me like nothing
Yours Truly, Bryant Kubo
The Fighting
By: Jonah Logotala Puli
Japanese heroes Fighting without showing fear
Fighting without stop Fighting hard but treated wrong
Treated bad with no respect
The Honorable Soldier
The Ted Tanouye
Known as a cocky buggah
Charging up the hill
Ted dropping men one by one
But rewarded after death
by: Jonathan Lum Lung
Caged By: Liz Okazaki
We are Japanese
Hated for my heritage
Caged up in a camp
Our sons have Went to war
It doesn’t change where we are
Untold Story By: Kristian Rosete
An untold story Once happened so long ago
Of the Japanese Soldiers, all so brave and bold
Fighting the war young and old.
Strength
He was built with care
He was treated unfairly
He was pure and bare
He fought for his family
He lived a life that’s hate free
By: Buddy Santos
Family and Friends
Why do they do this? They take our family And our friends too. We hope and we pray that they Will return to home one day.
By Dylan Tavares
Personal Responsibility
By: Kaylee Thompson
I will not beg for
freedom when I speak to them;
I will not cry for
flowers that refuse to grow.
I will do what I have to.
Boom! So many jet planes
The earth exploded with smoke Screaming and crying
Why would anyone do this? Well what happens to us now?
By: Ionatana Tua
Away From Home
To my family Please stay safe during this time
If the children ask Tell them I’m fighting for them
I will make them proud
Madison Williams
ケージ
Japanese People
Stripped of their rights and freedom
Were like animals
In a cage with no way out
And all their tears were brought out
By: Micah Alo
As smoke fills the air, And salty tears flood my
eyes, I fight through the pain.
We must push on, to survive.
Cause this is all we have left.
By: Kale‘a Borling
Unappreciated by: Ashley Castro
What is going on?
My life risked for this country
No one even cares
They still discriminate me
I’m unappreciated
They took us to camps.
But we took it like a
champ.
They thought we were
bad.
That made us a little sad,
But we went and fought
like men.
The Camps
By: Kamanu Gomes
Friends by: Greg Harris
We march to the line.
Bullets fly past my comrades.
Many people die.
I try to call to my friend.
He is gone. Goodbye, my friend.
Underestimated What choice do we have?
Trying to prove ourselves true, And yet we cannot.
They expect us to falter, But brave soldiers will fight on.
By: Carolynn Krueger
Tears
It brings tears to me
Enslaved in my own country
As I say goodbye
To my friends and family
To fight for the enemy
By: Kawailehua Kualaau
Recollections of a Fighter By Regina Kuhia
Discriminated
I fight a losing battle
Alienated
I fight for those who hate me
Do not forget my struggle
Thank you By: Mikayla Lau I may not know you But I know you did great things Your blood, sweat, and tears Saved many lives over here Thank you for protecting me
Why? Is all I ask Taken from my home by force
Treated like horses Confused, Frustrated, Lonesome My Heart weeps for my country.
BY: Lilia Lorenzo
Loneliness consumes.
The only hope is my home.
Japanese soldiers,
Seeing our families trapped.
Tsunami tides flood my eyes.
By: Jessica Mendiola
Go For Broke
I chose to fight hard,
For a country against me.
We don‟t get to rest,
Between the bloody battles.
“Go for broke” is all I know.
By: Kia Nae„ole
The Hill By: Kelsey Ota
Walking up the hill,
I see bullets shooting by, Wind scratching my face.
I pray I go home alive, But for today I focus.
As we march away,
my life flashes before me
Deeper into war-
we go and most won’t
come back
But we will go and fight
hard.
GO FOR BROKE!
By: Nuʻuanu Santos
Prison Camps
Discriminated Japanese Americans Sent to prison camps Striped from all they
knew and loved Coming home to start a
new
Drifting
I’m saying goodbye
To my brothers and sisters
As we drift apart
Towards the dark small barracks
I don’t know when we will meet
Elijah-Cole Tabion
Soldier Boy
Behind a stone face
And deep within his cold soul,
A broken man lives.
Yet he continues his fight,
For he will come marching home.
By Brandy Takiguchi
They were all locked up
for not one reason at all.
The brave, strong minded
fought for us taking their lives
and will forever be loved By Mical Ventura
Brave
Caged Life taken away
Thrown into a brutal camp Caged by barb wire
Though we still decide to fight Fight for this unfair country
By: Tiare Ventura
I am Japanese
I fought for my family and for my country
To win was our mind set Go for broke, fight to the death Brennon Aloy
by: Colton Cabanas
I lived Peacefully
Then one day it was all changed
Taken from my home
Locked away for no reason
Just cause I am Japanese
America in The War Japanese Brother
Fighting for America We’re now internees Now this horse is my
roommate Get me out of here
By: Nick Castro
I Live In Prison
Where are you father?
Mother and I are worried
We have a new home
But I do not feel at home
I feel like a prisoner
By: Savannah Dudoit
A Great Hero He is a Hero
He saved a lot of people
Proud American
Never get mad during war
Got the Medal of Honor
By: Jordon Fetalvero
Japanese Life
Being Japanese,
It was a very hard life.
Incarcerated
And fighting for this country
They’ll never be forgotten.
By: Crystal Hipolito
The Fierce Ones By Shae Johnson-Eugenio
World War II was bad
You go for broke till the end
The Japs were heroes
They were proud and fierce to fight
I’m proud to be Japanese
A Soldier Life
Forever brothers
Never backing down in life
Never going back
Forever till the ending
Eh Go FO Broke, live your life
By: Edward Juan
But Why By: Dustin Kaleiopu
What is it we’ve done? We too are of this country. Please don’t make us pay, Don’t keep us like animals. We have also been betrayed.
I am Japanese. One word went through my mind was,
discrimination. Turned against in my own home.
How could they do this to us?
Kea Kuia
Confused Soul By Zackary Lopez
I’m trapped in my home
Because of my heritage.
Now I have chosen
To fight for my own country
A country that’s scared of me
He is a Legend, He gunned down many Germans With his B.A.R. He is now a War Hero Won a Medal of Honor
Maka Medeiros
War Hero
The Battlefield Stuck in a warzone
All battered and so confused The gun shots and screams I can not help being bruised
My brothers forever lost
By: Destinee Murray
Alone in the Dark
We are all human
Japs and the Americans
Yet we are taken
Together we stand alone
We are Japanese for life
By Chase Newton
Taken from the love
No wife, no children, no warmth
Wanting to go home
Tears for those they miss so much
Lives lost, will his be one?
Tears of the Soldier By: Noelani Reyes
Proud to be American By: Julia Saffery
Discrimination
Locked up because of our race. How could this happen?
We are like everyone else, Proud to be American.
Lost Freedom
I am Japanese
I’m also American
I have no freedom
I have been disrespected
I want my dignity back!
By: Ryland Santos-Adrian
Four Forty Second
Discriminated against
For being one Jap
They were very courageous
We will never forget them
Our Japanese Heroes
- Macie Tawata
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