My relatives chew kimchi 

and dine on the fat of the land

They pass nations through their mouths 

Why do you grab chopsticks like that? uncle tsks 

A parade of thunderclouds barrel inside my head

I’ve returned to Korea, my homeland

I imitate the grip of my elders 

You’re showing your shoulders! my older cousin scoffs

Now the killing tools are coming

Why so much makeup? You’re tolerable

My voice wants to spit angry wine

Instead I blot away the rouge

You lost so much weight, my aunt frets

I ferment in barrels of resentment 

Mom slides a large slice of pork onto my already-full plate 

to lure a rich guy my cousin jokes

a tear drops onto my piece of pork

Smile more!

I clench my chopsticks 

Don’t get fat!

my mother slides the pork 

back to her plate

my heart, scarred by a thousand paper cuts 

I push away, my chair screeching from the table 

My frown is salty soup 

They have pinched 

every part of me