Hogan’s Alley, City of Vancouver Archives
A drizzle, a dash, a sprinkle of fine oil on heated pans
Harmonious rhythms ring from the band playing on the stage
Warmth flutters up in your chest
The heat wraps around your heart like a blanket on your stomach on a cold winter day, stroking the patters of your heartbeats
A magnetic pull, strumming the strings of your veins Clatters of wine glasses
Chatter in a crowded room rises
The sweetness crawls into throats
Crushed garlic and gravy mixing, creating a flavourful taste that stays in your mouth
Shadows dance in a celestial light cast from the rays of the sun, flickering behind thin curtains
All the dreams of life branch from this stage
A drop of happiness creates inspiration for everyone At Vie’s Chicken and Steakhouse
Sharon Pan is a Chinese Canadian youth writer who lives in Vancouver, BC. She has written the poem “Home at Vie’s” and won third place in the youth category of the City Poems contest created by Fiona Tinwei Lam, Vancouver’s poet laureate. She has a passion for creative writing. She likes cats, Greek mythology, and desserts. In September, she will be attending David Thompson Secondary school. She is currently writing a book that she started during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sharon started to pursue her interest in writing in the second grade after she realized how much she liked writing stories.
Sharon Pan’s poem is one of the shortlisted poems for the City Poems Contest for Youth. Watch her performance and reading of her poetry here.