She stands at the podium. She’s about 5’3”.
Her eyes are downcast. She smiles. She bows.
Her voice is 5’3”. She tells us about Korea
about her mother’s worn hands
about the crinkles in her father’s eyes.
We listen. Hold our breaths.
Her voice is 5’4”. She tells us about America
about little boys pulling the corners of their eyes back
about dumping fried rice in the elementary school bathrooms.
We listen. Our breaths mechanical puffs of steam.
Her voice is 5’5”. She tells us about America
about leering men and a disease called yellow fever
about breached boundaries and a cage made of silence.
We listen. Murmur, our voices a chorus.
Her voice is 5’6”. She tells us about America
about a carpet of vomit, a blanket of tears, a mattress of glass shards
about velvet brusies, wheezing breaths, broken bats.
We listen. Bite back tears.
Her voice is 5’7”. She tells us about Korea in America
about shot out spas, broken glass constellations in black hair
about bachelor parties that end in murder
about biting your tongue so hard you can almost taste the steel in your spine.
We listen. Nod. Run our bruised tongues over the scars on the inside of our cheeks.
“My culture says I should, but I refuse!
I refuse to be quiet any longer!”
Her voice is suddenly 10’. She’s still standing at the podium.
Her eyes lock with ours. She’s no longer bowing.
She’s crying. Her fists are in the air.
She’s yelling in Korean, in English, in Korean and English
about Korea, about America, about Korea in America.
We’re crying. Our fists are in the air. Our bleeding hearts
on sleeves. Our scars on tongues and the insides of cheeks.
Yell back in Korean, in English, in Chinese, in Japanese, in Hindi,
in Cantonese, in Vietnamese, in Urdu about Korea, about America,
about China, about Japan, about India, about Vietnam, about Pakistan
about how progress is like cars during rush hour in New York City.
We’re about 10 feet tall.
Thank you for reading American Vigil. Read more about the author, Amanda Chen, here. Stay tuned for additional articles and poetry by the youth UCA members. You can also submit your own articles here.