2. definitions.
kiki smith’s yolk
solid worked glass
“yolk.
(noun)
-yellow or orange material stored in an animal ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol.
yellow.
(noun)
-of the color between green and orange in the spectrum;
colored like ripe lemons or egg yolks.
egg.
(noun)
-an oval or round object laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or invertebrate, usually containing a developing embryo.
female.
(noun)
- of, relating to, or being the sex that typically has the capacity to bear young or produce eggs.
glass.
(noun)
-a hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent.
woman.
(noun)
-an adult female person.
egg.
(noun)
-an animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum together with its nutritive and protective envelopes and having the capacity to develop into a new individual capable of independent existence.
yellow.
(noun)
-an East or Southeast Asian person;
in reference to those who have a yellowish skin color.
[NO LONGER APPLICABLE.]
filipinx.
(noun)
-of or relating to natives or inhabitants of the Philippines (used in place of the masculine form Filipino or the feminine form Filipina);
born out of a movement to create space for and acknowledge genderqueer members of the Filipin* diaspora in the white-centric binary places their parents decide to move to.
yoke.
(noun)
-a frame fitted to a person's shoulders to carry a load in two equal portions.
nonbinary.
(noun)
-genders that don’t fall into one of the two categories, male or female.
woman.
(noun)
-a woman who is a servant or personal attendant.
glass.
(adj)
-easily broken.
yellow.
(noun)
-cowardly.
chicken
(noun)
-cowardly.
yolk.
(noun)
-yellow or orange material stored in an animal ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol.”
- So Asiddao
This poem reflects my experience of seeing Kiki Smith's work, "yolk," for the first time. In this stream-of-consciousness poem, I used dictionary definitions of terms this art evoked for me and reworked them to help readers understand how I define myself. In this artwork, I saw a reflection of not just myself and the way I perceive my body and mind but the way others perceive me as well. For all readers, this is a poem about self-reflection. For readers who have similar ethnic and gender experiences as me, I hope this poem provides a sense of familiarity, something to which they can relate and find meaning in.
Biography: My name is So Asiddao and I am a second-year creative writing and music student at Oberlin College. I also spend much of my time creating visual art as well as musical and written fandom works, which you can find on my Instagram @corduroycyborg and on my Tumblr @acyborglostintimeandspace. As a second-generation Filipinx-American, I am constantly searching for ways to further highlight the voices of Asian youth and other marginalized groups in the predominantly white-centric perspective of Western society.
Instagram: @corduroycyborg
Cover Photo Source: https://www.coindesk.com/oxford-dictionaries-definitions-blockchain-miner