false tooth picture

“Malaysia” by Makky (Flickr)

the best memory of my life

also consists of the worst one

visiting my grandparents in

Malaysia

it’s because they kicked

my mum out because

of disagreements

bad blood so they say

racism has existed in my own

bloody bloodline for decades

and i remember going off

to the hilled hotel

wasn’t so bad

no kung-fu yelling

no switchblade swearing

just chocolate chip cookies

and a green grass rock bay water view

with some watermelon juice too

the other desert day,

it made me realize

that photograph of us in the dining room

together fake smiling

me, mum, dad, paji, maji,

i can forgive

i can forgive

but never shall i forget

nor hide anymore the

bruises to my heart

from the utter gutter dividing

nonsense

they washing machined

into my upbringing

into my mum’s life

and my father’s

they never attended their wedding

spread rumors for years like growing tumors

they bribed to split

they wanted from the start

the three of us to quit

so i remember

everything

about how not be a grandparent


Jazz Marie Kaur (Vevna Forrow) is the host of the Hummingbird Blink: Nectar Poetry podcast on Spotify featuring poets from around the world. She is a visual designer, creator and editor of Dipity Literary Magazine, plus self-taught cartoonist. She is the author of the Jazzy Hummingbird Project, Galactic Birdbrain, Colibri Kingdom. and Moby Sick which debuts at the end of this year. Her spoken word artistry name is The Moon Kingseas on music streaming platforms. Work of hers appears in the Lothlorien Journal and Kindergarten Mag. Visit vevnaforrow.com

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