those days,

i grew up enthralled by the rhymed chimes of

barney and the like,

falling asleep to tom and jerry under the

enveloping folds of that worn, sunshine-yellow quilt

but those nights

i nestled my head between the firm, rough green cloth of

that discounted throw pillow and the corner of the loveseat because

my parents were watching that chinese drama program

just to drown out and prevent me from separating what were the

fortissimo yells of my only family and the

material, cash-driven acting on the tv