by: Sam Rivas, Contributor & Guest Author
De-canon project continues to celebrate AAPI writers’ poetry & art!
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Engine Empire poems By Cathy Park Hong
“Though once I was so decent from such humble backgrounds
my ma bit her arm to feed us brothers three.
Am I cursed? I drink the myrrh her life who forced me alive.
History intones catch up, catch up while a number rots, then another.” —-“Seed Seller's Sonnet” (61)
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The Cowherd’s Son poems by Rajiv MoHabir
“Why throw your bangles
in the river at all? Melt the gold
into a charm to keep you safe.
Henna is darkest before dawn
as mud that clings to the palm.
This is not a story of watermarks
or river lines. Your gold nose ring
has fallen amongst the reeds,
surely bringing shame to your family
should your in-laws tell your father.
What use is remorse when the leaf
will stain you in red anyway?
Tie your sari to your love's fabric.
Today everything you touch
turns to beauty.”—-“Henna” (71)
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Thousand Star Hotel poems By Bao Phi
“Did we light garlands of fire onto your sacred mountains,
push your people to tiny fingers of dry land,
explore what was already found,
then name your beautiful landmarks
after ourselves” ——“No Question” (54)
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Look by Solmaz Sharif poems
“a newlywed securing her updo
with grenade pins
a wall cleared of nails
for the ghosts to walk through”
——“Vulnerability Study” (44)
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Saina & Hacha by Craig Santos Perez
“i imagine it rains
to say home-
in different versions each view
becomes a migration
each 'arrival?
becomes "a fossil of skin'—“
—“ginen preterrain” from Saina (81)
“"the monitors tried to trick you and ask you something in
chamoru" he says
"and you got punished
if you didn't answer them in english'
~
he explains how to minimize your shadow
depending on the angle of the sun”
—“from ta(la)ya” (37) from Hacha
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Echolalia in Script: A Collection of Asemic Writing by Sam Roxas-Chua
“At night, my god is a red swan,”(49)
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Hey, Marfa poems by Jeffrey Yang & paintings and drawings by Rackstraw Downes
(116) poem, “The Prisoner”
(58-59) drawings
