clinton, from here
Heidi Wong
your scent appears in ribbons, invading
my space like the shape of a stranger
i could have known.
the waves of victoria harbor,
its hysteric crashing, its hopeless rhythm,
contort into a chorus of footsteps
aching to trace the streets that hurt me into myself.
yet i stay, for family, future, correctness,
safety. stagnant, here,
bearing the saltwater like moonstones in my stomach,
jealous of how my life lives on without me.
Heidi Wong is a poet and artist who grew up between Beijing, Hong Kong, and New York. Since posting her poems online at 15-years-old, she has developed a unique voice that juxtaposes surreal and macabre imagery with intimate and beautiful language. She was the winner of the 2018 Button Poetry short form contest, and the winner of the National Art and Calligraphy Competition of China for 6 consecutive years. Now, she continues to share her work with her audience of nearly 1M followers. Her third collection, Turning to Wallpaper (Central Avenue,) will be released in the fall.
