Cincinnati was a town that Mrs. Yamada lived in after she left the relocation camp. Please read the poem below and write a short paragraph on the what you think the poem means and why. Use examples from the poem. There is no wrong or right answer. Do you best.
Cincinnati
Mitsuye Yamada
Freedom at last
in this town aimless
I walked against the rush
hour traffic
My first day
in a real city
where
no one knew me.
No one except one
hissing voice that said
dirty jap
warm spittle on my right cheek.
I turned and faced
the shop window
and my spittled face
spilled onto a hill
of books.
Words on display.
In Government Square
people criss-crossed
the street
like the spokes of
a giant wheel.
I lifted my right hand
but it would not obey me.
My other hand fumbled for a hankie.
My tears would not
wash it. They stopped
and parted.
My hankie brushed
the forked
tears and spittle
together.
I edged toward the curb
loosened my fisthold
and the bleached laced
mother-ironed hankie blossomed in
the gutter atop teeth marked
gum wads and heeled candy wrappers.
Everyone knew me.
