azn gurlie

some have called me 'chink'

when they look into my eyes
and see that i am the chink
in their tarnished armor
that they cannot even see themselves in

and some have called me ‘yellow’
jealous because my
jaundiced skin
outglows the dull azure of their eyes

just never, ever, call me Oriental.
What is that word anyhow?
an Oriental rug, trodden
feeling the weight of your
imperialist conformity
upon my head.
an Oriental vase
eager to surrender
under the weight of some anonymous Pinkerton
eager to be shattered and discarded
and then later surrendered
to the weight of the blade

so call me a chink
and expect my eyes to shine
to rival my yellow skin
only remember that
i’m not your ming dynasty mantlepiece
i’m not your Oriental doormat


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