My People, My People

I find you Iqra my aunt

in downtown partying fading

away in the night

I hear you singing Kehlani your

favorite artist while dancing in

the flashing lights of the downtown

night

You smell like Sweet Spicy Vanilla Orchid

Jimmy Choo fever perfume

When I see you I feel like singing

out loud with you while we laugh

and make jokes

If they come for you I will give

it my all to protect and save you.

I find my dad hanging out with

his friend

I hear you giving good motivation

You smell like pizza

When I see you I feel like driving

in the car

If they come for you I will

protect you

There are my people and I find them through

The streets and the place I lay my head

Through any wild interactions or disagreements

they know I will always have their back

From biking each other home when parents are

busy to really tasty home cooked meals and

having a roof over my head. These

people are my blood from once a stranger

to now best friend from raising me and

teaching me Right from Wrong these people

are my blood if you try to hurt them

I will be there and best believe I’ll fight

for them.

My cousin lives across the ocean,

and a different time zone,

but she still knows when I’m growing

She is older,

Around 30 years of knowing things

I am only yet beginning to learn,

yet she speaks to me

like I already belong

Her voice crosses screens,

carries Malaysia with it

Tamil warmth tucked

between every word

I do not see her often

but Kak Fidah is stitched to me

Proof that love

does not need distance

to stay close

I find my brother

in his room reading books

I hear you playing

with your old legos

You smell like Devon

because you’re always there

When I see you I feel

like turning around

If they come for you

I will protect you

I see my sister on the beach

preferring to be swimming in the water than laying in the sand

I hear her diving and splashing in the water

and hiding herself underwater to see how long she can hold her breath

She smells like sweat from the hot sun

and like fish from the ocean

But hints of coconut and vanilla from the deodorant she used this morning still linger

Thoughts of jumping in and ruining her peace take over

and I go splash around with her

both of us giggling

I find my cousin sitting on his bed

or on his couch

I hear you laughing with

everyone in the living room

You smell like fresh clothes but

sometimes like a dirty clothes

basket.

When I see you I feel happy and

I love to hug you like a koala on

a tree.

If they come for you I will fight

for you like the ninja turtles

do for each other.

I find my uncle on the

soccer field.

I hear you dancing to some

Brazilian song.

You smell like brand

new shoes.

When I see you I feel

like building our favorite

Legos

If they come for you I

will have your back.

You’re the best uncle.

I find my brother at the house

in the living room watching movies.

I hear you talking on

the phone.

You smell like lemon and cinnamon

When I see you I feel like

you bought me something.

If they come to you I will

be with you.

This person is someone

that plays games and

Does well in math

and loves the outside

to play and I will

find my nephew

in the park playing

with his friends

I hear you sinigng

a song from Xxxtentacion

and you smell like cats

sometimes or cologne

like the sea, when I

see you I feel like

playing games with you

and if people

come for you I will

fight them for you.

When I wake up

I find you on my bed, waiting for me to wake up

I hear your sweet voice, when asking me to play

with you.

You smell like salt water, from the vast ocean

When I see you I feel a sense of happiness

and comfort, and playing cars with you,

if they come for you I will beat them up.

I find my friend in the amusement park

He listens to a Xxxtentacion song

He smells like the park

I feel happy when I see him

I will let him be strong.

I find my crush in the beach playing with sand

I hear her screaming at me to do my work

You smell like roses

When I see you I feel like I want to sing a love song

If they come for you they will have to come through me

first.