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Cat S. Chen

The West Mall

An apartment on the third floor, overlooking the highway:
 
D.N.
 
Two children standing          among crisscrossing blades of dried grass,
two dots of color                    against the pale sky, buildings, pavement,
listening to the growl           of the hurtling cars in our backyard.
And I look at you,                  with tales of home and pet lions on your lips,
until you run                          toward the chain fence, a dare in your eyes—  
seeing a ladder                       where they meant a wall—  
and you climb.                       The fury of the highway turns into a cheer.
This is a false memory,         but it was the strongest one in my mind when I learned that
you died.
 
K.S.
 
Now a real memory              wedging ourselves behind the couch
in the early morning,            on a sleepover my parents didn’t understand.
I don’t like it                            but you convince me that this is what Canadians do,
when we see a red light        in the building across the highway,
we assume aliens,                  keep vigil until daybreak. I feel it—  
certain that                              four eyes are enough for truth and also that some
parts of the world are           forever behind a barrier of hurtling cars
out of reach.
 
A.Z.
 
An adult memory                  from two towns over I superimpose here
of an ashtray,                         black with golden flowers,
a souvenir I gave                   you years after I left, and immediately you go
to the balcony                        with a cigarette, cover the flowers with ash. I join
and watch                               the highway, cover my ears
like children                           who race the hurtling cars until we win, all
the smoke behind us.

Biography

Picture
Cat S. Chen (she/her) is an immigrant and non-profit immigration attorney. Her poems have appeared/are forthcoming in the Schuylkill Valley Journal, Eye to the Telescope, and Samjoko Magazine. She frequently puts into the world thoughts on immigrants’ rights and community lawyering and not so frequently puts into the world art.
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ISSN 2639-426X
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    • Issue 31
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    • Issue 29
    • Issue 28
    • Issue 27
    • Issue 26
    • Issue 25
    • Issue 24
    • Issue 23
    • Issue 22
    • Issue 21
    • Issue 20
    • Issue 19
    • Issue 18
    • Serenity
    • Issue 17
    • The Audio Room
    • Issue 16
    • Issue 15
    • Issue 14
    • Play It Again
    • Issue 13
    • Issue 12
    • Issue 11
    • Issue 10
    • Issue 9
    • Issue 8
    • Issue 7
    • Issue 6
    • Hand to Mouth
    • Issue 5
    • Issue 4
    • Issue 3
    • Issue 2
    • Issue 1
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