In honour of Asian Heritage month in May, we are sharing this inspirational poem written by National Youth Mentoring Advisory Council’s very own Ashley Kim :
Who am I?
Scared, frightened and agitated
Lost, lonely, and forlorn
Don’t know where to go,
Don’t know where I belong
Who am I?
Free like the vast Rocky Mountains
Or animated like the central village of Seoul
Sweet like the maple syrup that smiles at me
Or spicy like the dark light red rice cake
Who am I?
Fought against billions of Germans for the liberty of the crown
Sacrifice all their lives for the freedom from the Japanese
Learned respect, courage, and confidence since birth
Knew the competition, stress, and success since the presence
Who am I?
Is it the bright red with a proud leaf in the middle?
or the fiery red and calm blue with the black strips
Is it 9.985 million km2?
Or 100, 210 km2
Who am I?
There is just a wide, rough sea world in between
Only 9 hours in air till arrival
30 days on sea
And 6 months by feet
Not so bad, not so hard
But yet so different
Who am I?
Desperate and curious to know
I search my place like a crow
Trying to fit in the life of the modern family
Or the typical daily life of Korean dramas
But none of them end up begin my place
My wondering grew higher and higher
As I got older and older
Seeing individuals fitting in their place, their home, their identity
Made me happy but anguished
This trouble seems to be only mine
My guardians are the fiery red and calm blue with black strips
And my society is the bright red with a proud leaf in the middle
They know their spot in the world
Unlike me
My DNA shows as a Korean
But I travel like a Canadian
My identity is two different worlds
Who am l?
Ashley Kim
National Youth Mentoring Advisory Council
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
Ashley Kim
National Youth Mentoring Advisory Council
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada