the silent truth

the leader of america, his deceitful beliefs tall,

‘we’ll be rid of this chinese virus soon.’

and jeers rise from the stands, heard by all

shoving elders to the ground, the violence masked by insanity

blood staining their old arthritic palms

people’s useless whispers fade, the soundtrack to a tragedy

the daughter holds the phone with a shaky hand

imagining her feeble parents all alone, in fear,

‘it’s okay. america’s still the dream land.

in the streets of new york, another expects no violence

yet her eighty nine years are ripped away,

as fire burns into her skin, screams igniting

the dull beat of her life’s clock starts to silence

the hands that they used to caress their son’s face

tremble as the grandmother mumbles

fidgeting her beads, saying a humble grace

bloody and beaten, they all attempt to get up, their dignity pushed afar

in confusion and a dazed terror

the trauma runs through the community like an open scar

‘my name is xie and you can not silence my voice.’

she hisses at her attacker, and despite the injuries

one million dollars rise up, that is xie’s choice

the asian community holds strong, attempting to keep their everlasting bond

people avoid their helpless eyes, as one stands behind the cowardly face of social media

stretching out on your couch, clicking repost of yet another image, you yawn

you’ve dusted your hands off, i’ve done my job, you happily think

but have you ever stopped and really thought?

how did you help the elders weeping on the streets? did you even blink?

this is not a flash of an eye, not a singular moment,

you say ‘end asian hate’ but you don’t fight the injustice

be a part of it. this is the movement.

it’s lives being lost.

trauma being given.

and at what cost?

how long will it take?

will we go through every community?

watch the bloodshed break?

the hate? we’ve heard it all.

don’t give more wounds. don’t hurt others.

people, stop making america fall.

no one listens to the hurt voices

and we must teach the silent truth

carefully to our children,

the silent truth that bears hate crimes

the silent truth, burdened by lies throughout the times

the silent truth that makes us be quiet, instead of our loud roar

the silent truth that should not be silent anymore

- the silent truth