Banana Girl.(Voices of justice: A CREATIVE WRITING FEATURE)(Poem)

 
Banana Girl 
 
   I learned to draw 
   at my father's knee 
   and gave 
   it 
   him 
   love 
   up 
   for power. 
 
   My mother taught me 
   my English alphabet 
   as she was learning it, 
   how to write characters 
   in Chinese, 
   how to deal with others 
   by talking to them. 
 
   My father never learned 
   English 
   and he was always quiet, even 
   in Chinese. 
 
   She learned to drive 
   slowly 
   to get better jobs, 
   while he stayed 
   a janitor for all 
   his years in Canada. 
 
   When I gave up 
   drawing 
   and being 
   outside 
   Chinese 
   with my father …