Jenn Martin

Asian Solidarity

Urbanscape by Jenn Martin

(TW: Small mention of blood and violence from a racially motivated hate crime.)

Discrimination
Silenced my mother’s native tongue
Coated with Biluochun tea
Spoons … Read more

Why Are You Here?

for Sayeh (Shadow)

Poet
from the forest-covered mountains
you celebrated the land that jailed you
When the radio broadcast your patriotic song
your jail guards and cellmates asked,
“Why are … Read more

The Last Text

We drove with the sunroof open
So the breeze could tangle our hair.
We rolled through stop signs,
We ran reds as the others did,
And we pressed send on … Read more

City Garden

Image by Laura Daniels

The community garden where I grow tomatoes,
green peppers, zucchini, and gladiolas.
My little piece of heaven – twelve by twelve
what more could I ask … Read more

CLIMATES CHANGE

Disquiet, dis-ease, deceit
permeate the atmosphere,
suspended
like stale smoke.

Trying to navigate the pollution
of fake facts confounds,
as no fresh breezes appear
to clear the murkiness.

Living in … Read more

O, Cool Water

the quencher of perpetual thirsts,
the extinguisher of sporadic wildfires,
the melter of wicked witches,
why besmirch your goodness
with outbursts that flood unwary towns
in a flash, turn docile … Read more

UVALDE 2022

beloved innocents taken
pour red upon our fragile homes
in morning light spilled with guilt
we fret, we cry, we blame
measure the distance of our fall

a too-late urgency… Read more

Intersection

Image: Election campaign signs (www.ahwatukee.com)

The mountain blushes at the sight
of freedom showing off its underwear
at the corner of 48th and Elliot
where the campaign signs have recently… Read more

No Longer Yours

Dearest politicians,

Don’t call me senseless.
Don’t call me by a different self.
Don’t call me this or that
Or anything else
I can’t stand it,
I have no time—… Read more