Glimpses of a Forever Foreigner: Poetry and Artwork Inspired by Japanese American Experiences

"Glimpses of a Forever Foreigner" is a collaboration between Lawrence Matsuda (poet) and Roger Shimomura (internationally known artist) inspired by the Japanese American experience including the World War II forced incarceration of 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans. Shimomura was a youngster in the camps and Matsuda was born in the Minidoka, Idaho concentration camp. The forced incarceration experience had a significant effect on their art which fuels their commitment to never let it happen again when frenzy and fear rule. The book contains 38 poems by Matsuda and 18 original illustrations by Shimomura including three images and cover art from Shimomura's past work. The poems are arranged in chronological order except for "Barry the Psychiatrist" that begins the collection. Thereafter, the topics move from the 1942 forced incarceration to the period after the war, then to friends/family, and end with the Fukushima disaster.