Where I'm From
Wesley Yin
aug 2020
after George Ella Lyon I am from rubber bands From Cetaphil and Play-Doh I am from the laundry room workshop (Cluttered, poorly-lit, and sticky) I am from four-leaf clovers Whose fragile, fourth leaf stole hours of my time in seeking I’m from shiny red envelopes and upturned eyebrows From Dylan Henry Lau and Yeh-Yeh I'm from the obligatory recitals and the generosity fights for the check From “ask the guests if they want a drink” and “I don’t hear you practicing!” I’m from the cheesehead state and Hong Kong, Kung Pao chicken and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves From Uncle Bob’s tipsy Thanksgiving violin performance From my grandfather’s loss of education due to Pearl Harbor. On a shelf beside the piano, several thick photo albums hold the earliest memories. They live at the ocean floor of my consciousness— Out of focus, but present.