These poems are inspired by my experiences with love. Through writing these pieces I was able to express myself and get closure from the past, which has made me the person that I am today.
Taking Our Place in History Print Anthology
Letting Go
This piece is dedicated to the past me who struggled so hard to find her place.
Asian American
This poem is an exercise in claiming my place in history—as a member of a community but also as an individual. It explores some thoughts I frequently have about my Asian-American identity and living in New York.
Thoughts In Train Traffic
When I was told I would have to write an essay about myself as part of my college application I was convinced I couldn’t do it. I had always avoided writing that involved telling my own story, however in the end I was surprised and proud of the outcome.
Agatha and the Naming
“Agatha and the Naming” is the story of me, in a way trying to claim my place in my family’s history. While Agatha’s struggle is name-based, mine is skill- and future-based. She gets to meet her namesake while I still question mine.
Devotion
There has been a time in all of our lives where we’ve placed our significant other above ourselves and our responsibilities. I wanted to show how we as women often lose who we are trying to help someone figure out who they want to be.
Springfield Cemetery
Before I moved, I lived in front of a cemetery for most of my childhood. In one of Girls Write Now’s Friday Night Salons, I remembered the cemetery and thought it would be fun to spin a ghost story about it. Cemeteries are always so spooky!
Epiphany of Hotpot
Moving from city to city at a young age, away from my family and relatives, shaped my passions and how I view the world. These two chants connect blurry fragments of my childhood to my hopes for the future.
Stolen Sound
In the midst of our busy lives, we find time to pursue our interests outside of work and school. I wanted to explore one young woman’s creative passion and what happens when an unexpected force interferes with that sacred time.
sayonara, hello
“sayonara, hello” is a cross-genre piece that explores the discrimination and isolation immigrants face. It is told from the perspective of a young Japanese girl who searches for acceptance from the people around her.
Evening Distractions
For this flash fiction exercise, we started with a prompt and edited down to 100 words. I cut out words that didn’t hold as much significance to the story, and what’s left was intentionally included to help show the reader instead of telling them.
Tales Of A Mixed Girl; An Open Letter To All The Mixed Girls Struggling To Find Their Identity
A person’s identity is shaped by many factors such as nationality, race, ethnic group, physical appearance, talents, interests, language, religion, and especially culture. Here is a deeper insight to my growth as a mixed girl; My History.
Pneuma
This poem is dedicated to all the girls who are forced, by circumstances, to hide their identity so they can be present for those around them. One reminder: You need to be your authentic self. Go out, find your flame, and take your place in history.
Blackbird
Like blackbirds we lived in a constant state of struggle trying to survive. Every time we tried to fly there were others pecking away at our wings. Like that bird, fueled by our need to survive, we learned to soar.
If Walls Could Talk
This is a fantasy story that I wrote in one of our pair sessions. This piece is only the first chapter of a novel I am working on.