What are you reading?

"Honua," a collection of poetry by Sage Uilani Takehiro. She writes some in pidgin, and some in Hawaiian. She's a local girl from Hilo.

What do you like about it?

There's a poem in here that talks about her father and how his words cut her ... how her father says things that make her feel terrible, like kanakas are stupid or kanakas are lazy. My grandmother used to say the same thing, not realizing I am kanaka, too. I love the rawness and that she is able to express herself in the way that she needs to and the way that she sees fit. For me as a writer and a musician, I can't be as bold as she is because I work with kids and I want to be a teacher one day and I have to be careful what I say.

Does it give you ideas about how to be more daring with your lyrics, poetry and new ventures, like last month's Lilikoi Festival?

I guess so. When I'm reading her work I'm thinking of how it relates to me and my life, and I think of how I could express certain ideas that I have in different ways. ... I'm working on a book of poetry, so it was very refreshing seeing her book and knowing that she's this young woman who's even younger than me — I'm 28 — that she can do it and she did it. It inspired me to continue with my book and be more bold and say what I think and not be afraid.