Where We’re From

I am from my tv

I am from my mom and dad watching tv

I am from the albums

I am from me and my sister looking at albums

I am from the kitchen

I am from me helping my family make Pani Puri

I am from butter chicken

I am from my mom’s homemade butter chicken

I am from my room

I am from my bed watching tv

I am from my brother and me playing roblox.

I am from my fridge eating chocolate.

I am from my aunt and me watching c-dramas.

I am from scrolling tiktoks with my friendss

I am from listening to k-pop from my playlist.

I am from Malaysia burning heat,

I am from school teachers teaching.

I am from my mom’s Nasi Lamak,

I am from soccer goals!

I am from Chicago’s stories.

I am from tired energy.

I am from Ms. Logothetis, screaming.

I am from my dad’s knowledge.

I am from friend’s laughter.

I am from my cooking.

I am from my lentil soup.

I am from my crochet.

I am from crocheting plush animals.

I am from my TV.

I am from my TV watching YouTube videos.

I am from my mom.

I am from my mom’s baking.

I am from helping my mom.

I am from my mom with electronic devices.

I am from my bed

I am from my made bed

I am from my father

I am from my father, a strong hispanic

I am from my grandmother’s food

I am from my grandmother’s tacos and burritos

I am from my sketchbook

I am from my drawings.

I am from those fun roblox late night gaming

I am from my sister’s warm, tight hugs

I am from the windy beautiful city of Chicago

I am from my friends, the sweet crazy memories

I am from playing soccer in my backyard

I am from my Grandmother cooking sopa de fedo

I am from my PS5 playing with the bros

I am from my bed sleeping

I am from my brother going to the store

I am from East Asia below Russia and between China and Kazakhstan

I am from my mom cooking fried rice

I am from my baby brother playing in his chair with his toys

I am from my cat sleeping in my bed on my pillow

I am from a place where my sister can’t stop yapping.

I am from smelling Takis with my sister.

I am from seeing UNO cards on the table all the time.

I am from seeing Gatorade with my brother.

I am from my dad screaming and making me go deaf.

I am from the quiet road ruled by the chirp of birds.

I am from the bean’s land of cities.

I am from the family of wonderful chaos.

I am from a house with 5 people who can’t stop being loud

I am from a country where they have no government

I am from my little brother screaming over losing the game

I am from being forced to wear the hijab tightly

I am from my mom making me stay home.

I am from the pulsing blaring smoke alarm

with puffs of grey from a

Red sauce pot.

I am from my

mother’s

A moody swingy hair

luscious to

Grief

Never known with

the curly fries ends.

I am from the

snow to

sun to

clouds

the city known for

weather being crazy.

The huge Bean of

a mirror

Reflecting the bad

choices

living beings made.

I am from those Burger and hot dogs

where taste turns into grease

I am also from those prickly cactuses and Birds

where dreams are more ahead of walls

I am from a loco slumber house

where smells of dogs come up

I am from those Beds with many more

which Bro wants to play more

I am from a sound barrier

where sounds are dis-harmonize

I am from a line of honor

where my uncle taught me so

I am from those of Blocks and Bucks

where Mother couldn’t talk and spend

I am from the places that will never sleep

rest, the lights burning through my visions and cars

never stop.

I am from a faith that I have no longer known

a once great blaze turned into an ember.

I am from stories I learned to tell and wish

to tell, from letters and inkpots that never

ran out and crows and ravens.

I am from the blissful cold liquid in my fridge

I wish to always have but my impatience

precedes me.

from latin I learned to tell from friends

I make and the words I spew like it’s sacred.

From Chicago winters that never stop and wind that

never leaves, from hot sunny California days, and from

Malaysia night markets.

I am from my brother yelling and playing

with his toys making dinosaur noises

I am from my mom cooking sopa de salchichon

I am from my mirror watching myself grow.

I am from my dog running around the living room

I am from my fridge closing and opening,

grabbing food every chance I get