“in back kitchens” by Isabell Liu, Class of 2022
*note: A yi means “auntie” in Mandarin, which usually implies hired help (like a nanny)
we steam them whole:
slimy grocery jewels still
slick with the salty
kiss of death, mouths
stretched wide in surprise:
A yi you shouldn’t have,
flesh too fresh
on meaty tongues, eyes
still wet with wonder as
we prod brittle vertebrae,
backs sloped
for marine labor
they washed ashore/ Illegal/ Aliens from China/ yellow adventurer eyes/ drowning/ in gold adventure/ my dad/ always said the Fujianese are all/ children of the sea/ i said/ 100 degree summers/ burn wetter/ in cargo/ ships in Queens/ no royalty in sight/ just Golden Venture/ no right to breathe/ just
keep paddling, in
mother country we lurch
carelessly from the river’s
mouth, blood once buoyed
our bodies: carp and squid
and shrimp now shipped:
sautéed or broiled
or raw and cold, all
swallowed thickly—whole.
ARTIST STATEMENT
In 1993, a cargo ship called the Golden Venture ran aground in Queens, New York, forcing the 286 stowaways who had been hiding in the ship--predominantly from Fujian, China--to brave the rocky waters and get to shore. 10 of them died trying. I came upon this story while doing research for one of my classes, and was immediately struck by the tragic irony--not just of American hypocrisy, capitalism, or the usual imperialistic BS--but also of the image of the Fujianese (historically known for their marine prowess) being felled by the very medium that once gave them life and livelihood. Also, I'm pescatarian. Do with that what you will.
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