Savannah Heath

The Kitchen of Small Hours by Derek N. Otsuji is a book of poems that he has written about his family’s life and experiences. It is a beautiful and profound work that touches the hearts and souls of all those who read it. One cannot help but ache for the family that had to bury the grandmother, the mother that mourned the accidental death of her daughter, and other tragedies and devastating effects of life that impacted this family. At the same time, the book praises family traditions, small moments of peace, closeness, and achievement. Dreams are unfolded and embraced. The language both evokes beauty and stings with the pain of loss and longing. I think three words that sum up the stories in this book are found in one of the poems towards the end: “I lived, I loved, I lost.” The book is replete with descriptions of lives well-lived and remembered, love freely given and received, and crushing loss turning lives upside down. I believe all that read these words and devote time to pondering them will feel the heart-softening effect of empathy and will finish strengthened by the powerful bonds of all that embark in this human experience, filled will many highs and lows. The reverence with which he addresses individuals and those whose lives have been lost create the sense of their existence in the same room, even when they are gone, as if they had never left.