crayons

you started with “Indian Red”,
browned faces around the fire
stories of the hunt and scavengers.

a scene which now paints the
colored picture
in my first grade classroom.

the streaks across my white paper
not in remembrance of a culture
beaten down and bruised by
colonizers and New Americans,

but in innocent artistry
and elementary school
nap times.

you moved onto “Chestnut”
to avoid misconceptions
but, i can look in between cracks
and see dishonorable choices
washed away by Americanization.

you caught a rainbow with your hands
“Dark Green”, “Violet”, Turquoise Blue”
and you made it into the material
of coloring books

but, the first names you stirred
in your pots of crayon and glue
were not forgotten or brushed away by
“Chestnut”

because I won’t ever forget
my nation’s ancestry

and neither should you.

Mira Chiruvolu is a 17-year-old, born and raised in California. She is in the 12th grade and is an avid reader. She loves to write, specifically poetry and short stories. When not writing, she enjoys playing basketball and running outside as much as possible. Her writing style leans towards grander themes about life, including courage, bravery, love, loss, etc. Her portfolio is a conglomeration of stories, poems, thoughts, and pieces that she has created over the course of her life.