Tuesday, August 4, 2009


I like this piece a lot....

"Uniquely American" -6/24/03 Pia V. Pulido

Every summer, when the heatwave prickles through my skin, I think of that place where I was born,

In a tropical archipelago made up of 7,000 islands

On the side of the Pacific Ocean

Where a unique blend of east and west make up its people and culture.

Every summer, the color of my skin gets darker-

The evidence of my Malay, Chinese, Spanish, and Arab roots.

Whenever I think of that place, I remember devouring a yellow-red freshly picked mango,

Plump and cold with the juice dripping down to my elbow.

I remember hopping over the papaya and banana leaves scattered in my mother's old backyard,

I remember those sweet, familiar scents of summer sun mixing with tropical heat.

On long hot summer nights, I look up to the skies and close my eyes

And dream of this one small island.

A beautiful place it is, it is the island of Boracay

At the northwestern tip of Panay,

A butterfly shaped isle filled with palm trees, white powder fine sands and turquoise waters.

The waves overlapping each other, swaying back and forth,

Lulling me back to my native tongue.

But my daydreams of that place

Always takes me back here

Where I live

Where I belong

Where I've become...

A freedom lover

With a powerful voice,

Standing tall with independence.

This is no dream,

For every summer around the Fourth of July,

I celebrate myself

As uniquely American.

2 comments:

Anaka said...

Pia, this was beautiful. I have chills!

Unknown said...

I've got chills, they're multiplyin'
And I'm losing control
Cause the power you're supplying
It's Electrifying....

Thanks, Anaka! Compliments from a fellow writer are very meaningful to me. Here's to honing our craft to reveal ourselves to the world. How was your first day of school?