July I Issue: Poetry Roundup
Each issue we feature pieces of prose and poetry from Asian women, nonbinary, and other gender minority writers around the world. Here are this issue’s pieces!
“To Stella, From Luna” by Irish Valle
What i feel for her is unfathomable
It's terrifying at the same time beautiful
Like when the lightning strikes in the middle of the night
i would usually take cover under the sheets,
at the same time i want to witness how beautiful
the sword of the mythological god as it strikes the earth.
I don't know hot to call this feeling- but it is deep
And i don't know if there is something that could define this feeling-
or can this be duplicated to another soul
I don't know if i make sense,
all i know is that the moment i first saw her- she didn't touched my heart,
she directly penetrated my soul.
And it stayed.
Poems by Kamilla Satiyeva
“A soulmate”
A soulmate…
The term we hear much too often.
It can be beautiful
But it can also hurt
A soulmate…
A person who can never be forgotten
And when remembering is torment,
It might be a curse
A soulmate…
The one with whom you’re bound,
The one to spark your joy,
Soothe your pain, keep you warm
A soulmate…
What if he’s never found?
What if I missed him?
What if he is not yet born?
A soulmate…
A little hope the universe has offered
And gave a fair warning afterwards:
You might as well just die alone
“The owner of my heart”
Those perfect brown eyes...
I can’t get over them,
No need to even try
Those soft features of your face
That make me crack a smile,
Even when I wanna cry
Those happiness and joyful look,
Subtle glances with ur famous grin.
Just for me alone
Those gentle hands of yours that
Never go too far, and now I know,
I’d give you all my heart to own
“A contradiction”
Our heart is just a muscle right?
Protected by our bodies and our bones,
To make the blood flow through our systems
The heart is crucial, you’d die if it fails, right?
That’s why it is protected from the dangers of our lives.
So why were we never taught how to protect it from something rather than a punch?
The heart is strong, I must be right!
After all, it does have the strength to pump our blood.
Then why is it so fragile that it could shatter like a crystal glass?
And maybe it is still somewhere behind my ribs
But I’ve become numb, completely.
So yes, I am alive, my heart’s still beating
But I’d never wish someone that kind of living.
“Untitled” by Erika Jimenez Simangan
I’ve always admired trees.
Firmly rooted,
still growing.
Beautiful with each season.
Lone trees always took me in.
Almost as if they could feel that,
I was alone too.
I wish I could say grief has opened my heart to receive.
But it has made me quiet
It has made me,
weary of deep connections.
It has made me tired —
tired of talking to everyone but no one,
tired of forced laughter to ease the uncomfortable.
Tired of showing up for my daughters,
for myself.
So,
I drove out,
Lit up,
& imagined
my Self.
The woman I need now.
Firmly rooted.
Still growing.
Beautiful with each season.