by Ilya Jewel Cheung
Every one of her things
Had been used before
Names were faded
On the objects worn
She had written hers over them
But you could still tell
She was the girl
That no one knew well
She’d paint her nails black
But hide them in pockets
After closing a door
She would thoughtlessly lock it
With stentorian eyes
And an oversized hood
She was the girl
That none understood
She walked like a general
Talked like a spy
She had all her shields up
But no one knew why
Overall she was “good”
She did as instructed
She was the girl
Who self-destructed
Iyla Cheung is a Chinese-Canadian missionary kid (MK) who grew up in Niamey, Niger.
