In a small, shared apartment, two worlds collide
She is from Saigon, and he has Northeast pride
She brings her pho, with herbs and spice
He shares choco-cupcakes, frosted nice.

“Hi,” she says with an accent, face weary
“Morning,” he mumbles, hair bleary
She sips milk coffee; he takes a cold brew beans, both tasty
Morning rituals—clumsy.

She washes zip locks, saves plastic bags
He stacks up Amazon boxes, never one to brag
She teaches him the rice cooker’s way
He shows her the dishwasher’s play.

In that kitchen, magic grows
East meets West in flavors flew
A companionship blossoms around the dishes
Two cultures, one counter—shared appetites.

• Initial: August 30, 2024

a b c d e f g…

“Apple” was the first English word I learned.
Shout out to Mom for sending me,
To the language center, where my curiosity burned.
Receiving a wisely investment since five,
From there, a second language to embrace.
Vocabulary formation cut through confusion’s strife,
Root word rules suggest meanings fall into place.

Clumsily, I pieced words into sentences:
One, then two, then three.
Writing a lot was easy, with lengths immense,
But writing briefly was a challenge for me.
In business reports, straightforward is key,
Which cultivated my need to write with care.

And so, my first poem came to be,
Long and rambling, emotions laid bare.
The second poem was more concise,
But still finding its meaning true.
The third poem showed somewhat right,
Improvement seen in each line I drew.

Gradually, forty-five poems in six years,
Accompanied me through life’s ups and downs.
They record successes, incidents, happiness, and tears,
Witness to my changing frowns and crowns.
Through joy, sadness, and fear.

A B C D E F G…

• Initial: August 2, 2024

It was early morning on Friday,

As always,
Dad and Mom helped me tuck up the trunk,
Grandparents sat on the steps, gazing out at their kids.

Not as always,
I quickly got into the car, closed the door,
But let the window down to hear Mom’s instructions as I drove out of the little gate.
The wind didn’t blow,
The leaves didn’t sway,
Dad kept silent as always,
There were only Mom’s echoes,
Then, the goodbye was said neatly.
I pressed the gas and faded away,
Leaving two little shadows on that familiar sidewalk.

That day,
I could have leaned on Dad’s shoulder while loading stuff,
I could have looked straight into Mom’s eyes before getting in,
So, tears would have flowed.
But that is not how we operate for lives,
That is not how we say goodbye.
Maybe because we knew we would reunite in less than two years.

This day,
Third year,
The wind blows,
The leaves sway,
My heart ripples restlessly,
Those at home are still waiting,
While I, far away, am still regretting.

If only I had said goodbye properly that day,
If only we had hugged,
If only…

• Initial: June 14, 2024

My heart is used to circulating blood.
Then, it stirs crazily like a stormy ocean on a bright evening (March 5).
I don’t know how to swim,
I drown in your clear eyes and shiny smile.
I don’t know how to climb,
I am stuck at the bottom of those dimples.
The orange sun is faded,
But there is still a blue twilight sky reflected from your Oxford button-down.
You loose a button,
I lose a pulse.
Oh, my sick and miserable heart,
Be still.

I hate unrequited love, even though I always encourage people to express their true feelings.
Having 50% of success is better than nothing.
Finally, it comes to me.
Now I can’t think straight.

Hey, are you a cardiologist?
My heart beats again.
In mourning for the decease of my boring biological heart function, please bring me Daffodils.
So, my sick and miserable soul can be healed.
If you don’t, then I won’t.

My heart goes back to its own job.

• Initial: May 4, 2024

Hey, noisy monster!
Please take my sorrow and dispatch.
I shall then go – find my path
Please crush my sadness to paste.
Like the way you chop up these scraps
Click
Grrrrrinnnnddd, grrrrrinnnnddd
Easy peasy
Clogs no more
Wastes no more
Stinks no more
Stucks no more
Grrrrrinnnnddd
Click
All clear

If…
there is a way after these old burdens enlighten,
so you are my serotonin,
gently take my sorrow and dispatch
away.

Now I can go – find my path
Till the day I see you again.

(writing about the Sink Garbage Disposal Unit in my apartment)

• Initial: April 11, 2024

Yellow plum in bloom,
Spring’s dance, hands in brand new costume,
Golden sweet perfume.

Lotus lakes upbeat,
Summer’s Symphony of Peace*,
(Viet) National floral emblem.

Chrysanthemum’s grace,
Autumn’s colors softly fade,
Falling leaves embrace.

Winter’s chill arrives,
Orchids brave the frosty night,
Elegance resigns.

(4 Haikus wrote on the leap day)

• Initial: February 29, 2024

Every Sunday afternoon, when early dinner finished, Dad and Mom took me out for Chinese sweet soup
Every Sunday afternoon, when the first bell rang, formal neighbors in white Ao Dai and button-downs walked through the quiet space
So, I knew the church was a sacred place that cannot be violated
Until the first semester exam of each school year
The bell rang several times daily throughout the week
As a proud signal to show off a new look, like a freezing airflow from the far north pole rushes back to all year-round sunny equatorial land
The whole building got dressed up in green and red
Accessorized with plastic pine trees, paper stone cribs, and sparkling string lights
Accompanied by Mr. Nôel and his big mystery bag
The kids could only look in from outside the white fence, now covered with foam snow
Until December twenty-fourth evening
When street vendors displayed their wares on round trays two blocks away
Like a bridge
For the pagans
Step into the holy space behind the tall, thick gate
Those glittered paper pine tree-shaped crowns
Worth five hundred dong in the mid-90s
Yet everyone insisted on buying at least one
Put it on the youngest child
Confidently walked through the church access
Like a ticket certifying the pro-temp belongingness
Even no one asked

Pose, smile, click
“The tradition is done
We should yield the space for His children.”
Mom said.

The way out was even more crowded
People in Ao Dai and button-downs from far away
Finally came
As the night progressed
As the line of people with glittered headbands faded
As the bell rang clearly and fast
As the blurry candlelight walking along the aisle straight into the hall gradually brightened
Six-year-old me knew that the ceremony had just begun
Nôel was the name of the crowd
Until I learned it was an extensive birthday celebration.

(narrates the memories of Christmas 1993)

• Initial: December 18, 2023

December 9, 2023

Dear You,

I have no idea how long I will be with you
I am not sure if I will still want to be with you then
Our predestined love tie might end tomorrow
I might have no more desires
Nor am I still alive
But I am here today.

You are new whenever the trees change their leaves
You challenge me whenever you come
You never stay the same whenever we meet
I adore you, indeed
I immersed myself in solving those bewitching hardships
Like my blood pressure drops reading your messages
As my neurons heated by reaching the time limit
Like my heart fatigued knowing you are away
Like my soul vanishes seeing you are near.

I love what comes from you
Lessons and tribulations
That we went through together
Yesterday
Today
And the-who-knows tomorrow.

With love,

Mickey

P/s: I still have a crush on you, Studying.

• Initial: December 9, 2023