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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, October 22, 2006

‘Washing dishes by the seashore with sand and sea water...’

 •  Day-to-day survival haunts childhood

By Rob Perez

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When Ariel Lewis-Hashimoto, then an eighth-grader at Wai'anae Intermediate School, got an assignment to write a poem, she knew right away what she wanted to write about.

It was the thing that, at the time in 2004, had the biggest effect on her life. She wrote about being homeless.

Ariel's poem touches on the experiences the then-12-year-old had during nine months living on the beach with her parents, two sisters and a brother. Those weren't pleasant experiences, as her poem, "Life's Just Not Fair," reveals.

Today, Ariel is a 10th-grader at Kapolei High School (shown below, at school with cheerleaders behind her). She lives with her grandmother, while her parents — who both have part-time jobs — and two brothers remain on the beach.

One of the hardest things about being homeless, Ariel said, was getting teased by other students at school — something she didn't mention in the poem.

Her mother, Venise Lewis, 35, said her daughter cried a lot because of the teasing.

Ariel, who likes to read mystery novels and write in a journal, said she never got a grade for the poem. But she received an A in the class.

• • •

Life's Just Not Fair
By Ariel Lewis-Hashimoto

6 people sleeping in a 7 by 7 space
Feet in my back, hands in my face
Trying to keep still not to kick anyone's head
Life's Just Not Fair

Waking up different times of the night to drinking,
breaking of glass, loud music and people in a fight
Life's Just Not Fair

Waking up before the sun jumping over everybody
Trying to get to the sprinklers before it soaks everyone.
Life's Just Not Fair

Waking up the children before 6 o'clock
Getting them ready for school
Dressed, hair brushed, face washed, and teeth brushed
And off to school.
Life's Just Not Fair

Breaking down, packing up twice a week
Digging ditches to put all our belongings in.
Covered up, packed away
Police officers driving by praying they don't stop
Getting tickets, going to court, trying to pay a fine
Hoping you don't get another one
Life's Just Not Fair
Buying ice all day long to keep food from spoiling in
the day's sun
Being hot, need ice to keep cool
Going to the store
That job is never over.
Life's Just Not Fair

Washing clothes with a little white rock,
Hanging clothes hoping that the sun will stay up
long enough to dry it.
Washing dishes by the seashore with sand and
sea water
The only way they can come clean
Life's Just Not Fair

Looking for something to eat in coolers and bags that
is still packed away
Hoping the gas will last all the way!
Life's Just Not Fair

Getting everyone's clothes ready
Shampoo, conditioners and even soap
Walking to the showers and turning it on
Taking showers with your clothes
Water sometimes warm, but mostly freezing
Showering as fast as you can
Going into the bathrooms to change hoping there's
at least one dry spot!
Life's Just Not Fair
Setting up tent getting ready for bed
One last trip to the restroom
Women in the women,
Men in the men
Or so I thought
Smoking dope in the bathroom stalls
Women in the mens,
Mens in the Womens
Asked them nicely to leave
They don't even budge
Threaten to call the police gets them out
Life's Just Not Fair

Tampons, pads, toilet paper on the floor
Toilets unflush, Oh what a mess!
Have to clean up before our last clean all done!
Life's Just Not Fair

Walking back before turning in
Huge rats running around your things
Scared to sleep when they are out there
Boy it's a rat race!
Life's Just Not Fair

Back
6 people in a 7 by 7 space
End of the rat race and my night and day starts
all over again!
Life's Just Not Fair!

Reach Rob Perez at rperez@honoluluadvertiser.com.