Member Poem

I opened the door,

stepped into the big living room

with my eyes half closed,

Nothing has changed, except

I am the only one there.

I rest my tired black eyes.

on the big light brown sofa

soft

like a big marshmallow

after roasting on fire.

It smelled,

like brownies

baked in the afternoon.

That was the one

I always lay on when I felt tired.

It was a shelter,

not only for my exhausted body,

but also for my broken heart

when my family is not around me.

As soon as I lied on it,

my body fell into it and

everything depressed has faded

like water vapor in the air.

Looking at the dining table,

I remember the tomato soup

that mom made every Sunday,

sour but sweet

like a little trick by a young child.

Staring at the white ceiling

pure like the heart of a young girl,

I started thinking

about that Saturday

I spent the night watching Bayern

with my dad.

We both sat on the sofa,

whispering in quiet voices,

trying not to wake mom.

That seemed

years ago.

How long do I have to wait to watch with him again?

Tik-tok, tik-tok,

the golden clock suspending on the wall.

I could only hear this when I was all alone and quiet.

The TV under it was a dark mirror.

Looking at it,

I found my own face, vague but familiar.

Something dropped in my room,

the room with a comfortable bed

made of dark brown wood

and a big finely created desk

with a piece of shining glass on top of it.

I found out it was Robinson Crusoe,

A gift from my mother on the day I was born.

That is a treasure

I will keep forever.

Reading the quote she wrote for me

that was full of warming love:

“From mom,

I Wish you be healthy and happy everyday.”

My heart was melting,

and a tear started rolling down my cheek.

Suddenly,

I tumbled to the ground rigid and cold like iron.

As my head hit the wooden floor,

I fell asleep

like a tired kid after listening to a bedtime story.

I tried to wake up,

but something kept pulling me back to sleep.

Finally I opened my eyes,

But everything around me was different,

the white ceiling turned to the color of vanilla,

no sound of Tik-tok

that accompanied me when I was alone,

no book by my hand

that filled me with the love of mom.

I realized it was just a dream,

I started smiling,

Because today is the day I’m going to Dulles.

I’m going home.