Poetry

"You want your rights?"

"Come and get it," said the snake.

It was wrapped around a tree

in the confines of his tail,

a paper labeled "YOUR RIGHTS."

I stared up at the snake,

Two years ago, my home was Beijing

Even though I moved away ten years ago.

Two years ago, I longed for inclusion

for that tingle that made my skin

burn bright with belonging.

You ask me where is my home.

I'm 13 years old

I have literally watched

States make it illegal

To get abortion

Most of the people

Making and signing

The laws

Are men

MEN

Last time I checked

Filled with raucous noise

from more than just one voice,

symphonies blaring in my head

and they never seem to end.

My state is in the negatives

from the emotion that peruses me.

A.  All the attentions arise

B.  Being brave I close my eyes

C.  Consciously clearing my throat

D.  Desperately trying to daringly float

sunday nights are my own.

old music in the corners of my mind

pen scratches on paper, ten thousand poems

two hundred and seventy-two

little golden lights, 4 walls

that mirror my soul.

I fight everything 

To not turn back

To not run away

But my eyes still 

Land on her face

My feet become rooted 

In the ground

My heart twists

In my chest

Sometimes I dream of you

Our future, our past, and us now

Usually I end up breaking apart 

Listening to your words

Making my world hell

And then I wake up

The truth floods back

the doors

are left open

for him

to walk through

and brightly lit

with all

he will ever need

when beside him

there is a girl

stumbling through

a dark hall

unable to find her way

Once, we met. 

My hair was up, and the world was coated with snow,

and you

 talked to me with wide blue eyes

and a slippery smile, easy to fall into.

I think we're like the Milky Way.

Through the vastness of space we found us

and built friendships.

We grew a galaxy

and we've had different stars and planets

moons and rings come and gone.

I wonder what people see when they first look at you,

are they nervous?

Are they afraid?

Do they wonder about your thoughts?

Or do they see you as an everyday person?

Or do they think you look kind,