i am not a virus.

i am not a virus.

i cannot imagine
how your eyes must have
burned

when they were blanketed in
red
and you could see no more how
cruel! it must be
to live in the shadow of
distortion

i am not a virus.

yet i am of the skin and blood
of those who fall
victim
to your game of trickery

this illusion of
victory
are you satisfied
are you happy now
that all is said and done

or so you thought
as i knelt at your feet

checkmate

i am not a virus

i cannot lie silently
as you beat my brothers and sisters
in the streets of our home-
and yours

scars of theirs
you see, but mine-

a blow to his head is a gaping wound in mine
an assault on her hands is a scar on mine
every attack on them is an insult to
us

i am not a virus.

i am more than the
color of my skin

i am more than this
yearning to fit in

i am more than an
embarrassment

i am not a virus.

chink
gook
bat-eater

these words you hurl without aim
what is
your
aim?

if it is my heart,
you are mistaken
i bleed the same
red white and blue but
yours is disgusting
with hate

if it is my soul,
you are foolish
for my strength is
within
where is yours?

if it is my body
you will lose
as i lie dying
heart and soul staining cool concrete
yours is hollow.
my friend, that is
far worse
a fate than i can suffer
at your hands
is that all you’ve got?

Submitted by Katie Chen, San Jose County – San Jose.