I take too many plates of food and offer mine to everyone

because my dad always does that to make sure no one is hungry or excluded
I hug people and say Đi đường cẩn thận nhé before they leave
because my mom says that to give them her blessing on their way home
I learn to leave angry words unspoken
Like my younger sister does to keep hearts from bleeding
I forgive and forget easily and believe in second chances
That is how my carefree baby sister lives her best life

I talk to authors through marginal scribbles between the lines

My high school teacher let me read such conversations from her books and it was enlightening
I keep people’s personality traits in my contacts
Sophia who loves dance parties, Tasmia with a honey sweet voice, Vlad who is brilliant with
Uno plus-four cards
because in my aunt’s contacts I was Cháu Ngọc với những ước mơ lớn

I talk to the stars sometimes

A Christian Uber driver I met years ago changed my belief on faith and religious equality
I also love Evangeline from Disney’s Princess and the Frog

I buy two-dollar Kroger flowers for myself every week although I don’t have a vase
because my best friend for eight years taught me how the little things matter
I listen to Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans album whenever I feel down
My middle school friends and I danced to it every other karaoke night after late classes
I ask for people’s birthdays after asking for their names
because Jennifer did that with me, and my heart fluttered
I call people by their original names – if they are happy with it, of course
Juliana and Mekayla just refuse to call me Camille and it is hilarious
and I love it

I am pieces of memories
people have of me
I am a collage
of laughter, thoughts, friendships, stories

I am a mosaic
of your thousand ceramic pieces
Stare closer into my eyes
Do you see yourself
And every other person I have ever met in my life?
For the good and the bad
the ugly
and all of it in between
All of me today is
I would not know what else but you.