the year 2004
it was story time on the kindergarten carpet
chrysanthemum,
the story of a little mouse who struggled to accept her name
the kids bullied her for her rarity
she was a walking target
at five years old i resonated with this mouse,
trying to find acceptance in her academic house,
looking back now,
i realize this book got me through life,
understanding how to accept my rarity,
to never seek validation from others who are destined to misunderstand me,
those who love me will guard my back,
she never turned back after that,
and neither did I.

the flower of my birth month,
covered in a multitude of delicate petals,
the many aspects of my existence
each compartment make up my spirit
and that was it,
i was made up of too many petals,
people couldn’t settle to dissect my being
for they couldn’t comprehend what they were seeing,
and forever now believing
they weren’t meant to perceive me.