I Am Multilingual

I am multilingual,

A key to many doors,

Behind which the world's secrets lie.

To know more languages than

The average American

Is a privilege and a tragedy.

A privilege to know people's native tongue

To bring their true, most original voice to the fore,

And give them relief in a place that screams, "English only".

But a tragedy to know that

Ignorance is abundant

Where only language is allowed.

Language binds my emotions

My memories, and my pain

In new words that I never thought possible.

I render my nostalgia as saudade

I aspire to the elegance of sprezzatura

And I am humbled by the grace of sajda.

None of that may make sense to you.

In learning a new tongue, I experience

Rebirth, reforging, and revelation.

I am an unfurling lotus

A few petals come now

But as I learn, more will follow.

I am enlightend by lanuage.

I am open to people through it.

I am multilingual.