Where I’m From
a question with many answers
In response to the challenging and introspective prompt from Terijo
Under shadow of Mount Fuji
an infant arrives on island of cherry
blossoms, soba, tempura, chasing
pigeons on a roof, in a park off Ginza
Konnichiwa, his first word.
Born to privilege by those now
gone, it’s the imprints that remain.
Dad’s likeness of face, Mom’s beliefs
stay deep, true, and ingrained.
50 years it’s been, a lifetime from then
those questions emerge of origin,
of home, of place, answers that sit
flat and numb on the tongue.
Complex and deep, whole yet
humanly flawed, still growing
but never quite the same, keeping
gravity low, momentum will
minimize harm.
Made of joy, of rage, with mind
and passion finally able to risk
and know love once again.
Less and less the struggles
to fight or slay, while scars heal
over as pain now fades away
at last shedding shackles
those binds to distant past.
Allan Rae is a former flight paramedic, utilizing both his medical and creative writing backgrounds as a qualitative health researcher examining HIV stigma through community and personal narratives. He is the editorial director of C(G) and the photo publication SNAPSHOTS. Satire, Starbucks, and stray dogs do not displease him. He shares his home in Canada with his partner David and their dog Mr. Moles.
