azn gurlie
by Beverly Cruel, Special Contributor

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

anorexic blonde conformity

upon my head.

an Oriental vase

eager to surrender

under the weight of some faceless 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