Wykin Community Park

I speak Japanese
while they spit
at us -

iya, chigau yo

a room full of dolls
watches as our hands
come apart, glittered
in sweat & guilty
silence.

They hide from their mothers
here, immaculately dressed
& dirty mouthed.

Appearances are easy
when nobody cares
what's inside.

kagayaki to kagayaki

( I can't
look you in the eye )

Approximations of babies
observe. They spit
white foam
from their mouths
which you swallow
not wanting to
look weak.

They mean to
hurt us
so I weird them out.

Glass eyes linger
on the gaijin.

We possess ourselves
in the spirit
of their hate

like ghosts,
or girls
from comic
books –

watashitachi ga
kireidattara ioni

(why do you always look down?)

Their saliva darkens
in your hair.