2 - Em Lin - I am from

 The New and Old

I am from the odor of the dirty pigs

But also the serene sounds of the ocean waves

I am from the somber ambiance of the countryside

But also from the glistening morning dew atop of mountains

I am from the rush of the night market

The hustle and bustle of silly little humans

I am from the young impressionable children

They ran and ran all night

They played and talked with an innocence only a child could have

And I, right alongside them

I am from the excitement of music

That nostalgic sound that I’ve forgotten

I am from the fun of dancing

Of which, that too, I have forgotten

I am from the reassuring smile of my grandpa

And the soft warm hand of my grandma

That was all I ever knew

I am from the confusion of new sounds and people

From a language I couldn’t understand

And people who couldn’t understand me

I am from the tears of frustration 

And a smile of adventure

I didn't know what was happening

But I held onto my mother’s hand

Because I am from her loving presence 

And my father’s protective back

I am from the new tastes of a new place

The people of all different shapes and sizes

The hands that reached out to me 

They introduced me to a new world

One that seems so small now 

I will forever be from the mixture of different cultures

The ever changing scenery that shaped me

The nostalgia of going back and forth

Always reminiscing for something

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