Author Archives: hipacificreview

About hipacificreview

Hawaii Pacific Review is an online literary journal based at Hawaii Pacific University.

People Watching Along Kalākaua Avenue

by Normie Salvador

Dropped off by my dad, I walk Kalākaua
Avenue, the liminal line keeping beach
from park. I am conspicuous in Waikīkī
Aquarium yellow shirt, slacks, and Skechers. Continue reading

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‘Da Pidgin Inferno: Canto 22

by Jeffrey J. Higa

TL;DR: Dante ’dem and the demons go holoholo but still in same place where get the tar in the round ditch. They see some more sinners that stay there. Then one, more akamai than the others, try for escape from the Demons. Later, the demons stay beefing.

 

When small kid time, down by Kailua side,

Get one Fourth of July parade, and always get Marines there,

Marching in their dress blues.

And Kam Day parade, down by Iolani Palace,

Get the marching band kine marines and army and navy. Continue reading

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Where Are You, Osbaldo?

by Bart Edelman

The night twists tighter—
A tourniquet of desire.
And we can’t help but whisper,
Where are you, Osbaldo? Continue reading

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Living Near St. Catherine School

by Jonathon Medeiros

I don’t recall the question or the response I gave, but I remember the frustration rising in the nun’s face, creeping up her neck before turning her mottled brown cheeks dark purple. She asked again, her words clipped, her lips tight, her long black habit shivering with her consternation, as the class nervously giggled. And another response from me, possibly the same response. I don’t remember saying the wrong thing on purpose. I wasn’t trying to be smart or funny. There was clearly a gap between Sister Scholastica’s query and my understanding of her desires, a gap that distressed me as I watched it yawn open— Continue reading

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Filed under Nonfiction

Cartoon Character (or Not)

by Yvonne Higgins Leach

No man ever told her she couldn’t do it herself.
Nor did the female cartoon characters who
gleamed on the screen. Even Olive Oyl ate spinach.
With the same superhuman strength, she beat
every boy in the 100-yard dash in the 7th grade. Continue reading

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