Red Ribbon

Red Ribbon

Melted ashes amongst the muddled
fear stole my home. My Chinese home
carrying Chinese conversations. A home
in which many people define as
family, safety, and comfort. A haven of
desired religion. Traditions carrying out
pure culture. It fell apart, my home, it fell
into scattered screams. Forlorn and frightened
I stood homeless.

The overheard, drowning voices, in the only language I knew, told me
I would be crossing dangerous waters,
unknown customs
a broken thirteen year old
soul, lost, afraid, homeless.
escaping the decay of a home. the skeleton memories whispering
for my return. lost the tracks of my
family amongst the faceless
crowd.

I Lost
my home that I never dreamed
would fall. The roots so submersed
in culture. Replaced
by fancy fashions and disrespect. I stood
alone
the only Chinese child in the school. I stood
with a mouth that would not work
with my mind. I stood
a hopeless fool
in the promising world,
homeless.


confused.

I didn’t have the time to
think of how my life would
play, or what I wanted my life
to take on, but I do know
I was far away from the
home I knew the corners
to. I was placed, a misfit
in the classroom of children who only
laughed at my style,
my features,
my accent.

A hope crushed,
a home in need of structure,
a broken horizon crying
for construction.

* * * * *

drive the droplets of danger
away from your fear piercing
Eyes. Fear only takes you
closer
to the heartbeat of all living.
It lies intertwined between the
complex designs of your veins.
holding your flesh to your bones.
uplifting the large circles
carefully placed on your canvas.
Truth is, safety limits
space for creation.
define your mortality,
quench your smoky soul,
tie your old shoes with your
Mother’s _red_ ribbon.