Hieu Le – “I am” Poem

I am from Vietnam
The land that curled and shaped like a dragon
I am from a bowl of "pho bo"
Which the smell of mint and and beef stock fills the cheerful air
The tender slices of beef and the snow-white noodles trapped between the chopsticks on one
hand
The sweet and flavor-bomb soup flooded the metal spoon on the other
Sparkling with the layer of fat that remain stuck at your throat to remind you of the how much
you wanted a second bowl
I am from a glass of vietnamese milk coffee
Bitter like the struggle of learning to walk on my own
But sweet and full of energy like the memories of glee
The black and white turned brown from the swirling spoon, the perfect start of a good morning

I am from a dish stacked with “nem”

As I grate the carrots and turnip
Mom blended the meat, the mushrooms and the vermicelli together
I am the filling
Tossed together inside a huge bowl as the cracked eggs from a powerful bond
Tucked neatly in rice paper and rolled up with perfection
I am the sizzling pan
Bursting out hot bubbles of oil as dad puts the first roll in
Haunting the room with the delicious smell of fice sauce and the growls of our stomachs
I am the table
As my little brother set down the bowls and chopsticks,
A dish of rice noodles that shakes like jelly, cut into small enough strips to
A giant bowl of sauce and a plate so full of herbs that it could topple over any moment,
A small dish filled with chilly peppers that makes you shed a tear just from the aroma
We are a family
Rendezvousing about our day while crunching on the cyclinder of deliciousness with fragances
that last ‘til the next day.

I am only human,
Whose flaws outweight my perfections
My emotions blind my judgement, my judgement warp into apathy
An everchanging vortex of inquiries, strengthes became weaknesses.
Nevertheless
I am an explorer
First of my family to venture into a new land
Treading through desert of hardship and the swamp of unknown
Treading a path of my own
I am a nihilist, a realist
And one with a massive heart for humanity
I am a blade
Forged by the scorching flames, sharpened by the grittiest grindstones
Over and over again

That’s true!
I am only human
With flaws and imperfections
But a human that is improving oneself
One step at a time…
With tears, sweat, and blood
To one day, with the greatest smile on my face, crying out loud “I did it!”