Japanese Face-White Face

The mask that sheilds him from others
presents his purpose to be a killer.
How could someone of this descent
not be our suspected blood spiller?
All thanks to his guilty Japanese face.

The other man's identity fits in with the rest,
except for the one that he wants to embrace.
How could a minority woman love a man
that is not of her same race?
All thanks to his forbidden white face.

His distinguishment prevents him
from obtaining his one true desire.
How could someone sell their land
to a man with his facial attire?
All thanks to his unworthy Japanese face.

Our Caucasian will never succeed
in the marriage to his secret amenity.
How could society ever accept a couple
that doesn't share the same ethnic identity?
All thanks to his unfortunate white face.

Both men have downfalls
because of the way that they look.
If only they could have somehow switched,
and grasped what the other took.
All thanks to his Japanese face...
All thanks to his white face...


I decided to write a poem about the two main characters of Snow Falling on Cedars for my extended journal. Kabuo (Japanese face) and Ishmael (white face) both experience many problems because of their race. Kabuo is on trial for murder, and also loses the acres of land his family had worked towards obtaining. Ishmael is turned down by the Japanese Hatsue, and he is bothered by it throughout the entire novel. I just wanted to show how each of them had different problems because of their ethnicity, and how if they had switched, they would have received what they wanted. If Kabuo was white he would not have likley been put on trial for murder and would have been granted the land. If Ishmael was Japanese, his love with Hatsue would never have been forbidden.