early childhood in eight haiku
at first confession,
I wish my favorite priest a
happy Valentine’s.
Lola scolds me for
repeating a word that sounds
like poinsettia.
I tell my mother
I love her after puking,
fearing a flu-death.
childhood friend cowers
in the kitchen under a
gold-framed Jesus Christ.
my father turns his
head last minute, evading
a pitiful kiss.
pink bike disappears
from beneath me, and I laugh
through red-weeping knees.
counting my fingers
on the playground, I create
a make-believe game.
I eat hospital
scrambled eggs and wait for a
new friend to arrive.
Noreen Ocampo (she/her) is a Filipina American writer double-majoring in English and Film Studies at Emory University. She is also currently a book reviewer for COUNTERCLOCK, a very amateur singer-songwriter, and an Animal Crossing enthusiast. In the future, Noreen aims to fulfill a role in the intersection between storytelling and education. She is a regular contributor for Marías at Sampaguitas.