BY SAKURA YONEYAMA (staff writer)
Photo taken in Brazil (2014)
Photo with grandpa and little brother in Japan (2014)
Reading an English book in Brazil (2014)
When the sun is out
I am Sak
I am eloquent, fast-paced, American
I am an American with Asian skin living in Spain
My r's are clear cut, pronunciation flawless
I write poems in English about Western things and Western ideals
I study and read about Western people doing Western things and recognizing Western values
When the sun is out
I am Sak
When the sun starts to set
I am Saku
I am a loud, funny, fifth-grader
I am a New Yorker with Asian skin living in Brazil
My walk is confident, strides long
I write stories about life in New York, about New York food and New York people
I read and talk about New York people doing New York things and think about New York City
When the sun starts to set
I am Saku
When the sun is gone
And the moon shines down on me
And as I fall endlessly
I dream of Japan
And I am Sakura
I am thoughtful, kind, human
I am a Japanese girl with Japanese skin living through her visions
My words are broken, sometimes unintelligible
I dream dreams about Japan, about Japanese smiles and Japanese warmth
I dream and dream about Tokyo and the nostalgia of the city and I long for the city to envelop me again in its heart-shattering beauty
When the sun is gone
I am Sakura
