Paulines and Paulisms

Drawing and Marking by E. Hsu and Photograph by Paul Hsu Heart Tree by E. Hsu Dear heart tree I have hangman hangover from my entanglements with noisy flightless birds stuck in a thicket of fighting words. Dear heart tree special branch in me like a well-kept secret location ring echoing ring so I sing the heartbeat of seeing things. by Paul Hsu 5-29-15

Drawing and Marking by E. Hsu and Photograph by Paul Hsu Apple Tree Banana Tree Apples fall from the tree and know good and evil. Bananas bruised believe in mystery and the devil. Christian imagery surrounds me like shades in a bowl of cherries. by Paul Hsu 5-28-15

Drawing and Marking by E. Hsu and Photograph by Paul Hsu Flowers Tree by E. Hsu The Wind Rises Balloons Fly Free Taste and See Strings Surprise Artist Eyes Flowers Tree by Paul Hsu 5-27-15

Photograph by Paul Hsu The Young Visual Artist Proudly Stands Next to Her Watercolor Painting Titled "The Water Snake."

Image Courtesy of Kundiman Gratitude Letter Dear Li-Young Lee , Grace Lin , and Gene Luen Yang , Thank you, Li-Young, for Behind My Eyes , Rose , and The Winged Seed . We met briefly once upon a time at Calvin College during the Festival of Faith & Writing. I started reading your miracles of poetry way back in college. I am eternally grateful for your literary work as it continues to positively influence my own writing of poems. Thank you, Grace, for Dumpling Days and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon . I started reading your dashing and delicious books for children before having children of my own. I look forward to meeting you one day when I publish my children's books. Thank you, Gene, for American Born Chinese , Boxers & Saints , and The Shadow Hero . I started reading graphic novels because of you and your fun retelling of Sun Wukong the Monkey King. I look forward to meeting you one day on our journey west, our pilgrimage east. You three make up my Asi...

Photograph by Paul Hsu Still Life: Red Ripe Lips Synchronize Kiss me strawberry summer. by Paul Hsu 5/19-20/15

Photograph by Paul Hsu To the Giver of Good and Perfect Gifts for Jaime Wong Thank You for nautical sky blues and sandy browns and comfort shoes. Thank You for Chinese building blocks piling up like collected rocks. Thank You for magnetic poetry recombining into life's story. Thank You for transformation in times of degradation. Thank You for gifts of frankincense gold and myrrh. Thank love too immense for children for pictures for words. by Paul Hsu 5-15-15

Photograph by Paul Hsu Childhood Is Time Present Little house of memory St. Augustine's memory Palace of prose poetry Rose windows of poetry Open to beauty fully Children play beautifully by Paul Hsu 5/13-14/15

Photograph by Paul Hsu Shelfie 1. Which book? Which nook? Which cranny? Which Fanny? 2. How to get lost? How to read Frost? How to house wife? How to shelf life? 3. Whose spine? How divine! You. Be mine. by Paul Hsu 5-11-15

Photograph by Paul Hsu Lady Liberty 1. As in New York City's Oscar figure. Statue of limitations. 2. Monopoly: a boardwalk game at everyone else's expense. 3. No parking allowed at Park Avenue. 4. Shadowed by towers deadbeats sweep the heart of hidden streets. 5. The inner city of art and pity: immigrant free verse. by Paul Hsu 5/8-9/15

Photograph by Paul Hsu Fast and Curious My boy loves his toy cars, clutching one in each fist. So wherever he goes he does not let them go. At home we play good cop and bad cop. Resistance, he falls flat on his face and rises to run and gun it, crash, and start again. Off and running, seeing red, can I catch my speedster before he breaks for it and makes a clear getaway? Life's driving test questions: What's with red hot wheels? Why man's need for speeding? by Paul Hsu 5/4-5/15

Photograph by Paul Hsu Police Sirens Are All the Rage Have you ever been pulled over by your vigilant toddler for texting, speeding, and driving under the influence? Have you ever been arrested by his or her adorability and subsequently beaten black and blue and down and up with such black and white brutality? Yes, who has not been handcuffed by the humanity of her or him during terrific and terrible temper tantrums? by Paul Hsu 5-3-15

Drawings and Markings by E. Hsu and  Photographs by Paul Hsu Unfinished Poems: Abecedarian 23-139 A Abandon me or so it would seem in my dream in reality. Act as if I exist. Act as if you exist. Act like you care. Act like you don't. Accuse me falsely. Alarm me again. Alleviate my ailments. Amuse me. Anoint me with oil. My empty cup fills and brims and overflows with milk and honey. Antagonize me. Appraise me. Are you really with me always? Arrest me and chain me and lock me away to decay and rot in jail. Astound me. Attend the baseball game with me. Angels field the plays. B Bake me a birthday cake. Be with me. Bear hug me. Befuddle me. Beguile me with your smile. Believe me I can do this all day. Believe me it's better this way. Bless me with uncertainty. Book me. Bookmark me. Bloom in me. Blossom. Impossible blossom. Break me li...