This City Has My Entire Heart

June was a doozy one! I don’t have a fleshed out piece to share, as I didn’t carve out the time and space to sit down and reflect these past weeks amidst back-to-back workshops. I’m learning to invite gentleness while trying to be more disciplined. So on the last day of this month, I’m sharing a poem I wrote after returning from the impossible Hong Kong trip in March.
The first day of July this year is the 25th anniversary of the Handover, a former police officer will now become the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. There are red flags hung all over the city. To a few, they symbolize achievement worthy of celebrations; to others, they represent a new era of grief and loss. I don’t want to feel numb towards changes I can’t control, but I’m undeniably anxious about the future of my beloved city.
My 2021 word was play.
My 2022 word is experiment.
Truthfully I’m a little embarrassed to share this poem. It feels so close to my heart and I feel a little silly feeling the need to justify its existence. I’m also learning to not place subjective descriptors to my work, my practice, and my voice. I guess it doesn’t matter what I think is “good” or “bad”, as long as I am trying. And I’ll try a million times over for Hong Kong, always.