This Poem Cannot
May 3, 2020 This Poem Cannot This poem cannot… End the coronavirus quarantine that we have been in for about seven weeks now This poem cannot… Bring back the thousands who have already died from COVID-19 (244,000 deaths as of May 3, 2020) This poem cannot… Protect the...
The Healers
November 12, 2023 The Healers You can hear the silent healers amidst the chaos. Who are the healers? Where can we find them? They are everywhere. They are the woman in the “I just want to get rid of this now!” Facebook group, who requests, “In search of (ISO) unopened...
Thank You
May 10, 2020 Thank you Thank you for the Mother’s Day Flowers and the toilet paper.Thank you for the heavy period that demands a towel to protect my bed and chair and reminds me of my body.Thank you for the big dog’s sigh as he nuzzles in to nap.Thank you for mostly...
Made in the USA
Dear Ella, Thank you so much for inviting me to be interviewed for your 9th-grade oral history project about representation and what defines “American” from my perspective as a Burmese-American mother, artist, writer, teacher, and daughter of immigrants. I’m honored...
Denmark Vesey and the Heart’s Project
The heart’s constant project is to hold hopelessness and hope together. I recently visited Charleston, South Carolina, for the first time. The wonderful occasion was a reunion gathering of a beloved expat book club I was in during our three years living abroad in...
Never Have I Ever
My teenager walks in while I’m half-heartedly moving my legs on the elliptical, but mostly watching TV. He asks me if it’s weird that I am watching Never Have I Ever, a Netflix series created by Mindy Kaling and aimed at teenagers. It’s about a nerdy Indian-American...
Winging It
Lindsay, the peregrine falcon born at UC Berkeley in May 2022, was found dead in August. She was killed by a red-shouldered hawk. The news was heartbreaking because I’d been loosely following the dramatic story of the Cal Falcons–they have a loyal, global following,...
Where I’m From
I’m from wondering how to answer, “But where are you really from?” I’m from the question, “Are you Chinese or Japanese?” and my response, “Do I only get two options?” I’m from longyis and lahpet thoke, boo thee kyaw, and mac and cheese with curry powder I’m from a...
