Kimberlee     Created on Tuesday, 04 June 2013 03:46  
  Minaj  
 

    I was merely an orphan that grew up in the streets of Tangun.  Alone, afraid, hungry and terrified of what would become of my future.  I loved poetry and was intrigued with the different variations of spoken words.  I often recited my own poetry in my head because I was too poor to afford supplies to scribe them.  Townsfolk often passed by me but I was ignored, unwanted, and judged.

    One particular day, I happened to glance at the town's bulletin board and saw a flyer.  There would be a poetry reading held that very evening.  I looked down at my tathered gown but felt so embarassed by my appearance.  I had no shoes, my hair knotted, and my face with streaks of dirt.  I felt tears well up in my eyes and turned to walk away, feeling discouraged.

    Suddenly I heard a voice!  "H...hi there.."  I turned around to see a woman with long blonde hair wearing an elegant red dress that glittered in the sun.  She held up a hand and displayed a friendly wave and a small smile.  She appeared to be quite fancy and well off, as her many gold braclets grouped together as she dropped her hand.  I stood there mute not knowing what to say.  I felt so ugly and small in her presence.  I did exactly what my first instinct was, so I ran.  I could hear her calling out for my return but I ignored it, as if I didn't hear.  I arrived back to my make-shift shack under the bridge.  My pet rat greeted me by walking all over my shoulders as I sat upon the ground crying in my hands.

    It had been too long since the Priest of the Hyun moo temple, my mentor passed away.  He had always assured me that no matter what happened to him, the temple would take care of me.  But times became tough and soon, people stopped coming to praise our God and they stopped caring for others.  They dabbled in their riches and moved away to Han and other grand places.  They left us here, and many of us; as we live in the dirt-filled streets in shacks, in trees, in abandoned buildings.  What did we do to deserve this life?  Tears filled my hands and rolled down my arms as I wiped my eyes. 

    I paused a moment and retrieved a hidden wooden box filled with my only memories.  Several sheets of wrinkled parchments laid scribed with my past poetry works and some with more tear drop stains than ink.  I dug around the box until I found the necklace; a pink heart that hung on a dainty gold chain.  I held it in the air to admire it's beauty, as I put it around my neck and fastened the latch.  I held the pendant for a moment reflecting on all of the things I had to go through in my life.

    Suddenly, I heard the trotting of hooves as they came closer.  The shadow of a steed stood near my 'home'.  I heard someone dismount and immediately I shoved the contents of the box back inside and hid it away quickly.  "Hello?  Is someone here?" I heard a womans voice.  I remained silent.  Maybe she will think nobody is here and move on.  "I know you are here young one, I saw you at the bulletin board a while ago and watched you come in here."  I pounded my fists in the ground and stood up, walking outside.  It was the woman in red again.  She smiled at me and I noticed something different about her.  She didn't look me up an down nor did she look at me in disgust.  I could feel my clenched fists relax a bit.  "What do you want?" I managed to ask with a cracking voice.  She then retrieved a scroll from her pocket and handed it to me.  I relunctantly took it and opened it up slowly.

  "I'd like for you to come to the Poetry reading tonight, if you are still interested.  I could tell that you were when I saw you studying it back there." she said.  "My name is Tristah Cho', and yours?"  I rolled the scroll back up.  "Umm... Minaji' is the name my mentor gave me but I go by Minaj...... I do not have a last name" I replied.  She smiled wide.  "It is nice to meet you..... do you have a family?"  I could only look down and try not to cry but I couldn't hide my hurt.  "I had... a family but they didn't want me... they left me to fend for myself." 

    Tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked up at her.  I saw her left eye gleam for a moment and a single tear roll down.  "As you can see, I simply do not belong at your event, I do not want to embarass you with the way I look."  Tristah then had sadness in her eyes.  "What you look like has nothing to do with who you are on the inside.  Poetry is spoken from the heart, the mind, and the soul.  Please let me help you."  I wiped the tears from my cheeks and nodded. 

    It was from that moment on, that Tristah became my role model and someone I looked up to.  We traveled to her home in Kugnae and she gave me food, shelter, and an area to bathe and clean myself up in.  When I came back from the bath, I looked over to the guest bed and saw a beautiful blue silk gown laying upon it.  I quickly felt the fabric and held it up to me from my shoulders.  I had never had such a lovely gown before.  A while later I heard a knock at the wooden door.  "Come in!" I welcomed.  Tristah poked her head inside and saw me standing and wearing the gown that fit me perfectly.  She smiled and gave me a hug.  "You look very lovely dear!" she said.  "You look like a butterfly."  We both giggled in excitement. 

    Then we headed to the Poetry event in Tangun and there as quite the large crowd.  When we both walked inside the large room, everyone stopped chattering and stared in amazement.  My sandy blonde hair was tied up in a matching blue bow, and pink rouge upon my cheeks.  The crowd clapped and cheered once they realized Tristah had arrived to start the event.  We all stood in a circle and took turns sharing poetry.  There were many varied topics and types shared until it was my turn.  I took a deep breath and began to recite my poem.  As I spoke, suddenly I felt as if I was free of all pain, all worries, and all struggles in my life.  I could be me for once.  When I was finished, everyone applauded.  I looked over to Tristah and she gave me a thumb up for approval.

    After the event, we all had some wine and apples and mingled with one another.  I watched as Tristah was surrounded by men, laughing and joking.  She noticed I was standing alone and joined me, sipping her Moon Wine.  "Isn't this fun?!" she exclaimed.  I smiled and laughed as she staggered a bit.  As the night turned into the early morning hours, I watched her drink more and more wine.  Suddenly, she vomited upon her new shoes.  I shrieked as I held her hair up.  "Tristah.... are you okay?  Why did you drink so much?" I asked, worried. 

    Suddenly, Tristah collapsed upon the ground and was motionless.  I screamed in fear and yelled for help.  By that time, everyone was either gone or passed out.  Didn't anyone hear me?!  "Help us please!"  I proceeded to try to pick her up and carry her.  I knew of an Herbalist that was nearby.  I wasn't strong enough to hold her for long.  I left her there and ran as fast as I could to the Herbalist's tavern.  Crying, I could feel the air whipping my cheeks and could feel my new gown ripping as I tripped on rocks and shrubs along the way. 

  I swung open the door and saw a man standing there holding a bunch of flowers as he stirred a boiling pot.  "Please, help me!  My friend is sick and she dying!"  He appeared to be slightly startled.  He nodded and grabbed a few supplies, playing them into an empty sack.  We ran back to Tristah as she continued to lay there.  I propped her neck and head up as blood trickled from her mouth.  "What did she ingest?" he asked as he studied her limbs and felt her temperature.  She drank wine all night long and then vomited." I replied.  He looked up at me.  "Where did you get the bottles?"  I thought for a moment, trying to recall the night.  "Well, all I know is I saw a group of men dressed in black giving out bottles."  He then was checking Tristah's pulse.  "What else can you say about them?"  I pondered a moment.  "Some of them had on masks... with a symbol... an X."  The Herbalist sighed heavily.  "You should never trust spies, your friend here has been poisoned."  I put my hands to my face in shock.  "She still has a pulse but it's light".

    I watched as the Herbalist worked on saving her and I couldn't bare the thought of losing another person I looked up to.  But Tristah was special to me.  She was my best friend.  "Tristah stay with us, you are my friend and I love you" I said to her, as she lay almost lifeless.  Her body started to shake as the Herbalist administered a vile to try to cure her.  "What's happening?!" I shouted.  The man put his hand upon my shoulder, "It is the effects of the poison but what I just gave her, should counteract those effects soon."  He then took out a small jar with a paste like substance and rubbed it on her forehead.  "This is ground daffodil, greater tulip, ginseng and oil of an acorn.  This should soothe the pain that the poison is putting through her system." 

    I held Tristah's hand, as we sat with her and waited as a few hours went by.  She began to sweat and toss and turn in discomfort.  "Will you help me take her back to Kugnae?" I asked the Herbalist.  He nodded and we put her on a horse as we climbed on.  When we arrived to Kugnae, he helped me carry her inside her home and to her bed.  I thanked the Herbalist for his efforts as he assured me that everything was going to turn out okay.  Just in case, he gave me the rest of the medicine paste.  I tucked her in bed nicely and put a warm washcloth upon her forehead.  All through that day and night I was at her bedside, singing to her, talking to her, as she was trying to come out of the haze she was in.

   Then one morning, I was awakened by her voice.  "Minaji Cho?" she called out.  I smiled coming to her bedside.  She looked at me, still slightly ill.  "Thank you for saving me."  She took my hand and squeezed it.  "You are like my sister Mina' and I love you."  We both smiled and she sat up slowly.  I thought a moment at what she called me.  "Yes, Cho' does have a nice ring to it." I replied, as I shed happy tears.

    After that, we remained in seperable.  She taught me many things and encouraged me to become a Muse and inspired me to be me and to not be afraid of judgment.  Even though we are not sisters by blood, we are sisters of honor, sisters of devotion, sisters of inspiration, and sisters of the heart.  Whether I have the proof of being of the Cho' family or not, I will always forever be a Cho'.  Fore Cho' in Korean means "Butterfly".  We fly high, and are of many colors and long to inspire and motivate through the Arts and involvement in the community.

                  ~ Written by: Minaj ~