if these words were to fill the void
of the lost blood
and frightened children,
this poem are the souls of those who
were too scared to speak up
“go back to where you came from” cuts our throats
leaves us in an alley
so dark,
where does the flashlight guide
if we no longer want to go home
the world consumed us
and threw us up on the ground
with our bodies limp,
our souls soared into the sky
and begged for the hands of others
yet, we were left there,
to die.
A poem by Calista Ogburn
Calista Ogburn is a Korean and Vietnamese American college student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County studying Public Health with a minor in Asian Studies. She has studied at International high schools overseas which has given her a global perspective. She reaches her readers by sharing her feelings and experiences through poetry. Calista considers empathy and compassion as important values in creating her poetry and touching her audience. She relates her poems with women about identity and gender oppression, body image issues, and building the foundation of self-worth. To Callista, "Asian representation means that our voices, experiences, and stories come to light and are represented honestly and accurately. It highlights our stories so that others may relate or learn!" Her poem is about the growing anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic.