My Looks
Hey fellow KADs! My name is Brian Shun. I was born in Seoul. I was given the name Choi Kyungsub by my case worker at Eastern Social Welfare Society. I was in an orphanage until placed into foster care until I arrived in the United States in 1981. I grew up in a small town in Central Minnesota, the only child to older parents. I never attended any Korean culture camps or adoptee meet ups. I learned about Korean culture from watching the 1988 Olympic Games and reruns of M*A*S*H. Growing up as a little boy, I struggled with how I looked, and those feelings carried into adulthood. Now, equipped with adult words and understanding, I was inspired to write this poem, as if I was that boy again. The title of the poem is: “My Looks.”
My Looks
Mom says I have good looks.
She doesn’t look like me.
I like how she looks.
I look like I look.
I get looks for my looks.
They are not good looks.
They say my looks are not good.
Because it’s not how they look.
Looks like my looks are no good.
I don’t like my looks.
I wish l looked like them.
They look at you different than they look at me.
They look at me because I’m different.
I know what their looks mean.
I know what mean looks like.
It doesn’t look good for me.
Take a good look at me.
I already look at me, just like them.
Please don’t look like them.
Please don’t look at me.
Please, look at me.
