He Opens the Door: A Collection of Poems and Short Stories

Abstract

I have always enjoyed stories. Right now, I wish I could relate a story from childhood, maybe a quaint anecdote about a grandmother, tutu, leading me out on the lanai, to the porch swing, taking me on her lap and telling me stories about her youth. Or perhaps myths of old Hawaii or fairytales like Cinderella, as I stare up at tutu, open-mouthed and starry-eyed. Unfortunately, none of that ever happened. For the most part, I had to seek out stories for myself. I found them in books which were magical, because of the effect their words had on me. I was intrigued. I admired what writers were doing. I wanted to write like them. But I had never written anything as a child. It was only after a few years in college that I took my first creative writing class and got hooked. It was almost like a new self was being born, with each line that was written. When I first dragged myself into my advisor Faye Kicknosway' s office, I was desperate. I had no idea who I really was as a writer and if it was even possible to find out. I knew that I wanted to write, but had no idea where to start. I did not have much experience with writing poetry or prose aside from the classes I took in college, but I thought that by experimenting with both forms, I might get closer to the many voices bouncing around inside my head and maybe find a way to get them out through my reluctant, paralyzed fingers.