When you were young, did you dream of America?

When I was young, I dreamt of being American

Did your dreams feel like a black sky?

A 20-pound bag of rice and a dirt road

Did they crystallize on the leaves of a lotus root?

You’d close your eyes as I played the piano

Did you feel guilty leaving your family behind?

My aunt cried at the airport as my mom was returning to America

Did you feel like you left yourself behind?

I am so bloated by my many wants

How did you swallow your fear of leaving?

How do I stop from wanting?

Did you think you’d return?

When your mother died, you excused yourself from the table

What gifts did you want to bring to your family?

Were you able to pay off your debts?

Did the rows and rows of different flavored yogurt shock you?

America was nothing like you imagined

How often did you long for your mother?

I am nothing like you imagined

If you had more time, would you have climbed the highest peak in China?

My mom and I silently watching the sunrise at Diamond Head

When you knew you were dying,

Was there a quiet clearing inside you?


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