Ken Malloy Harbor Park – Chris Pigao

As a 15-year-old girl

I sat and watched

the ducks,

birds,

people minding their

own business

while my brother

who worked a triple shift

making means ends

is sleeping

cause we hit the occupancy

at our apartment.

and if Miguel or Constance

finds out

that’s the end

and we have to move the corner

vacancies

like we always did.

I walked up the

hills on rainy

days and still if it wasn’t

I walked them

anyways.

Such poor concrete

but at least it was

better than back

home.

There was nothing like

this and even so,

we were born

into the ground

that was hallow and

voided.

Until then, I watched

the water from that

pond and it still reminded

me that water

regardless of where it’s at

is still just water.

and I just sat there

patiently

until 4 o’ clock.

(image source: https://www.laparks.org/park/ken-malloy-harbor-regional)