Family Ties / An Anthology

The Sato/Bukowski/Haechler Family

“During the second week of sheltering-in-place, our family, made up of people ranging in ages 16 to 90 have been virtually connecting each week to share our reflections through poetry and creative writing as a way to stay in communication and sane.

With relatives who came from Hiroshima, Japan in the early 1900s, by way of Angel Island’s Immigration Station, we can only imagine the uncertain landscape and life after immigration that laid ahead.

Similar to the art that was produced during their stay, our confinement has opened up a creative door for our entire family. We decided to submit our poems together as a family to show unity in this time of separation.”

Marta Sato

• Abroad at Home / Sabrina Haechler

• Awakening / Trevor Bukowski

• Connections / Ken Sato

• Distance Learning / Marta Sato

• Highways Less Traveled / Kristin Sato

• Hope / Matthew Sato

• Howl / Marjorie Sato-Bukowski

• Rise Up / Ingrid Skog-Sato

• Shattered Boundaries / Jessica Bukowski

• We’ll Get Through This / Kelly Sato-Haechler
  

Connections

I used to go golfing Monday and Friday
but it feels selfish to miss it, but I do.
What I miss the most is lost connections with other people.
Sharing experiences, common interests.
Warriors, Giants, Niners, always there connecting me,
Cal too.
San Francisco fan forever.
I want to get back to normalcy like exercising, TV programming, sports,
interactions with others.
I think it will be the same again after,
but normal will not be the same.
We learned from other flu epidemics and
after each one it is different how we reacted than before.

Ken Sato, 90, Nisei*

Distance Learning

A hundred things to do,
And yet I have nothing to do
I am a teacher without a classroom
No Students to walk through the door
Thoughts of Distance Learning, Zoom calls, and
Students learning trackers keep me up at night
When I am able to fall asleep I dream of
No. 2 pencils, dry white board markers and math lessons
I dream of the day I will be able to
Hug my students as they enter into my classroom
This will be their generations defining moment,
Referring to life before and after Covid-19
When they come back into the classroom
They will be stronger, more resilient, patient and hopeful

Marta Sato, 30, Yonsei*

We’ll Get Through This

Covid 19, now into ‘20, will you still be here in ‘21?
You’ve killed my family traditions, savings, future plans,
and you’re not even done.
Panic sets, I’m the vulnerable; breathe, girl, breathe.
I’m relieved my lungs can fill with air, through the new norm, my PPE.
We’ll get through this.

Kelly Sato-Haechler, 58, Sansei*

Shattered Boundaries

My body is homebound for hours upon hours
but my mind is free to unleash its full power
savoring the sweet and spitting out the sour.

So why surrender to the negativity and dread
when you can find out who you really are instead.

Jessica Bukowski, 16, Yonsei*

Hope

A venomous wind blew in like a raging dragon from the East
Shelter in place, home office, mask on, social distancing,
are the only known weapons to fight this beast
No celebrations, sports, arts, all gatherings and even traditions,
are all going through transitions and getting rewritten
Families stocking up on flour and toilet paper, work from home
and zoom becomes the new norm
But we are all in this together, and the best of us selfless
and strong people
perform and provides the hope that will carry us out of this
wicked storm

Matthew Sato, 61, Sansei*

A Collection of Five Haiku Poems