I love this so much. he captures the beauty and heartbreak of living cultural limbo, never really knowing where you b3long, and feeling inauthentic in both cultures. you watch your home culture fade off through assimilation and it's like a goodbye extended over a lifetime, a heartbreak to re-live over and over again, more painful each time
From being Asian American, having an immigrant father as chef, to those stark worries of passing on my fading culture to my children when I too can only spell out my name in an Asian language and nothing else. This poem is absolutely beautiful and deeply captures an experience felt by many.
+missinglastpage I wish I was able to relate more. I have an estranged relationship with my dad, and I haven't had the nerve to see him in years. My grandmother on his side of the family (whom I haven't seen since I was maybe three or four) is a Japanese immigrant and I'm feeling like as time goes on, the more I'm losing my chance to learn about or reconnect with my culture that was taken from me before I was able to walk. Truly a beautiful poem that touched me on a deep level.
+SirChubbyBunny Hi, my instincts say I have to tell you what I think and know from experience before it's too late. I can see that life is keeping you away from knowing your roots. But it seems you care and you would like to take in. So if you can reach to your father and grandmother and ask them about their story, just go and do it. Because one day they will no longer exist and only questions will remain alive.
Moon Child I think being an LGBTQ person is what really holds me back from reaching out, since I don't know if my grandmother is really old school in her mindset and that could damage any chance of us reconnecting. It's also a pretty petty thing, but I feel like I'm not entitled to claim my heritage because I'm super white passing, and I feel like I'm just appropriating a culture I wasn't brought up in. My partner tells me all the time that I'm not, but I can't shake off that feeling of being not "Japanese enough".
+SirChubbyBunny +SirChubbyBunny You are LGBTQ along with all the other adjectives which represent yourself. It is a part of you, not a whole you. But if you have concerns, let the other parts work first. Give her pieces and time so she could make her puzzle,while in exchange you could make yours. It is completely up to you wether tell or not tell her your story, so if you just don't see her handling it well, you know what to do. But I think grandparents have "grand" in them for a reason. I understand you feel that way about your Japanese heritage. But it is actually running through your veins. Even now. And since you are already thinking about it, it clearly shows that the roots are reaching out to your mind, waiting for you to recognize them. When a person related to a heritage or culture in any shape or form, claim themselves coming from there, I don't consider that as cultural apropriation. I consider that as chapter "Zero".
This poem is amazing and hits home!! I’m a 1genertion immigrant born in Philippines . Raised in America by my adopted parents only knowing English. Wish I knew Tagalog
I love his poems so much!! I feel for him and his background because my family also emigrated from another country to come to the U.S. He captures identity and cultural assimilation so well!! I wish I could meet him
Damn, this really hit home. I feel so bad for not knowing my mother tongue and my roots. I wish I could get better at it just so I can pass those roots down to my children. It's in my blood but I have trouble speaking it. :/
Thats how I feel about my mother tongue! Its so weak and im trying to teach myself to speak it more fluently because I don't want to completely lose it.
My children probably won't know the language that their grandparents grew up speaking either. It's the saddest part immigrating. Every generation, you lose a little bit of of home.
Great poem, but more than that, an *amazing* presentation. I think presentation is one of the most important factors of presented poetry (read aloud, performed, ect) and I see a lot of very common things with presentation that makes is very unoriginal. Yamazawa has it down. Great presentation, great poem, great performance.
+Hector Cano All you have to do is write and then perform your writing out loud! Watch our videos, and especially read books (buttonpoetry.com/shop), to study some of the best!
I love this so much. he captures the beauty and heartbreak of living cultural limbo, never really knowing where you b3long, and feeling inauthentic in both cultures. you watch your home culture fade off through assimilation and it's like a goodbye extended over a lifetime, a heartbreak to re-live over and over again, more painful each time
From being Asian American, having an immigrant father as chef, to those stark worries of passing on my fading culture to my children when I too can only spell out my name in an Asian language and nothing else. This poem is absolutely beautiful and deeply captures an experience felt by many.
+missinglastpage I wish I was able to relate more. I have an estranged relationship with my dad, and I haven't had the nerve to see him in years. My grandmother on his side of the family (whom I haven't seen since I was maybe three or four) is a Japanese immigrant and I'm feeling like as time goes on, the more I'm losing my chance to learn about or reconnect with my culture that was taken from me before I was able to walk. Truly a beautiful poem that touched me on a deep level.
+SirChubbyBunny Hi, my instincts say I have to tell you what I think and know from experience before it's too late. I can see that life is keeping you away from knowing your roots. But it seems you care and you would like to take in. So if you can reach to your father and grandmother and ask them about their story, just go and do it. Because one day they will no longer exist and only questions will remain alive.
Moon Child I think being an LGBTQ person is what really holds me back from reaching out, since I don't know if my grandmother is really old school in her mindset and that could damage any chance of us reconnecting. It's also a pretty petty thing, but I feel like I'm not entitled to claim my heritage because I'm super white passing, and I feel like I'm just appropriating a culture I wasn't brought up in. My partner tells me all the time that I'm not, but I can't shake off that feeling of being not "Japanese enough".
+SirChubbyBunny +SirChubbyBunny You are LGBTQ along with all the other adjectives which represent yourself. It is a part of you, not a whole you. But if you have concerns, let the other parts work first. Give her pieces and time so she could make her puzzle,while in exchange you could make yours. It is completely up to you wether tell or not tell her your story, so if you just don't see her handling it well, you know what to do. But I think grandparents have "grand" in them for a reason.
I understand you feel that way about your Japanese heritage. But it is actually running through your veins. Even now. And since you are already thinking about it, it clearly shows that the roots are reaching out to your mind, waiting for you to recognize them.
When a person related to a heritage or culture in any shape or form, claim themselves coming from there, I don't consider that as cultural apropriation. I consider that as chapter "Zero".
This really spoke volumes to me. It's like losing apart of you that will always be there.
G. never fails to please.
This poem is so strong and speaks loudly to the hearts of all foreigners.I too feel guilty for not being able to speak fluently in my native language.
This poem is amazing and hits home!! I’m a 1genertion immigrant born in Philippines
. Raised in America by my adopted parents only knowing English. Wish I knew Tagalog
I love his poems so much!! I feel for him and his background because my family also emigrated from another country to come to the U.S. He captures identity and cultural assimilation so well!! I wish I could meet him
my high school english teacher taught him a while back! love all of his poems
I absolutely love this guy
I think I heard this live....I think this resonates beyond comprehension...YOU ARE DESCRIPTIVE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION WITH THOSE WHO HAVE A MISSION
Absolutely amazing
I love this and can definitely relate. The line not being able to hold the lineage together hit me hard.
Beautifully written, I could relate so so much. Thank you for your art
what am amazing poet, thank you for capturing the emotions so beautifully in your spoken word
the people who dislike this man. smh. this is beutiful
So incredible, and relatable. Thank you.
Damn, this really hit home. I feel so bad for not knowing my mother tongue and my roots. I wish I could get better at it just so I can pass those roots down to my children. It's in my blood but I have trouble speaking it. :/
Love this
Thats how I feel about my mother tongue! Its so weak and im trying to teach myself to speak it more fluently because I don't want to completely lose it.
this is so amazing!
incredible.
This was amazing, and so eye opening.
I literally cry. Every. Fucking. Time.
This is absolutely beautiful.
Amazing💛
This is a really nice poem
This is everything
amazing
My children probably won't know the language that their grandparents grew up speaking either. It's the saddest part immigrating. Every generation, you lose a little bit of of home.
good Cool Awesome hip-hop poetry
This was beautiful! Now I wanna try his father's food.
Great poem, but more than that, an *amazing* presentation. I think presentation is one of the most important factors of presented poetry (read aloud, performed, ect) and I see a lot of very common things with presentation that makes is very unoriginal. Yamazawa has it down. Great presentation, great poem, great performance.
THIS IS MY FUCKING FAVORITE
beautiful. how can I learn to do this?
+Hector Cano All you have to do is write and then perform your writing out loud! Watch our videos, and especially read books (buttonpoetry.com/shop), to study some of the best!
Fuck yes. Beautiful.
I love this, I can relate as well. I feel like trash because I'm unable to speak Hmong like the rest of my relatives.
This shit go mad hard ngl this got a bitch in tears
I definitely can't relate, but this is beautiful.
U said vinegar were canceling you
I swear I want to marry him.
look at all these wannabe poets
Amazing