Kayla the Dancer [a poem]

Kayla, sweet Kayla,
Dancing on the wind with dreamy eyes,
Her arms spread wide as she soars
Like wisps of a dandelion.
Bouncing and bobbing, she floats
Toward a path unseen but determined
Because she is determined.
Cradled by bold love and
Armored with warrior blood,
This wise child,
Older than her soul,
Scrunches up the clouds
And nestles among them,
Catching bubbles of curiosity tumbling by.
She stands at the edge of Everything
And a soft curl to her lips starts her laugh,
A warm and soul-hugging laugh,
A fearless, joyous, infectious laugh.
Her Everything expands as wide as the Heavens and
She leaps!
Lifted by her Mother Bear’s breath,
Who fills her space so safe she never falls,
Kayla, sweet Kayla,
Dancing on the wind with dreamy eyes,
Her arms spread wide,
Flies!

To Gudemama’s First [poem]

You think I don’t know you

And I guess I don’t anymore

Because you don’t want to grow up in front of me

You don’t let me see you as before

You don’t let me see you as you will be

You don’t let me see you now

You show me what you think I want to see

A carefully crafted obedient facade

Devoid of pain or disappointment or defiance

But if you only knew

Every stage of you is precious

The anger, the fear, the confusion, the frustration

I wish you knew

I support it all

And all I want is to ease it

Even when I it seems like I don’t

I wish you could see what I see

The years before and the years after

And then you would see

Why I mama the way I do

But it’s never for the young

I know because I was young and

I was you

And you don’t quite trust me anymore

Because you are becoming you

And so I can only wait

And wait and pray

For the you I knew and the you

Now.

My Take on The Brothers Sun

I cannot adequately express how enraged I am by The Brothers Sun on Netflix. I am evoking my innate tiger mom, because I am appalled at how the show wasted its potential. I know it’s seen favorable reviews, because people like fighting scenes, and Michelle Yeoh and Justin Chien are great, but the story tells like a first draft mess. For all its favorable moments and solid actors, it is STUPID and can’t seem to make up its mind on what its theme is. It is neither realistic/gritty enough, nor is it fantastical enough. It tried to introduce strong female characters, yet they STILL need a “man” at the end. The whole “protect the family” aspect is both convoluted and over-simplified. It is… Oh my God, I am… don’t talk to me about it…

You want to watch an amazing arc about brothers and family? Watch Supernatural. Watch Empire. Watch This is Us.

You want to watch strong and intelligent women kick ass? Watch Grey’s Anatomy. Watch anything with Viola Davis. Watch The Last of Us.

You want to watch movies or shows about the Triads/mafia? Watch Young and Dangerous. Watch Vincenzo.

You want action and a dark society? Watch John Wick. All of them.

The Brothers Sun tried to shove all of that in under the umbrella of representing Asians. But not all Asians. JUST American-Taiwanese. With a smattering of Koreans. So remember that, if you do watch it. It is NOT all Asians. Because it is VERY specific and yet, not specific enough. And honestly, AS an American with Taiwanese immigrant parents and lots of family still in Taiwan, there was a lot they got wrong.

UGH. So much potential… wasted.