Why again, why another Asian woman
who looks like me
but is not like me
is dead
I am afraid of everything and nothing
my grief has no boundaries.
Internalized messages in every breath
taught me early on
don’t show too much skin
a moving target on display
be vigilant
never walk alone at night
standing by the tracks
my body is disposable
stay guarded
keep myself alive.
Cramped in dark alley corners
Korean comfort women
ready for western consumption
an object of desire
six women shot dead
easy prey
a sexual addiction; this is not a hate crime
othered under the
white male gaze.
To whom it may concern:
A legal orphan abandoned by her birth parents
Mother: Unknown
Father: Unknown
Records: Erased
a childhood of silence
a lifetime of coping skills
invisible
until my trauma is exploited.
Why should I have to prove my existence
convince you that my life is valuable
tell me then, will I be worthy enough?
Parenthood Pending 