O’Hare
Lena Dakessian Halteh
I held my mother’s hand as we drifted along
the moving walkway underneath a ceiling of
neon ripples.
The colorful lights traveled
like running water from the far end of the
underground passageway,
shooting overhead
to the end point behind us and retracting
again. I looked forward to the neon light
tunnel at Chicago O’Hare each summer, it being the highlight
of our trip from San Francisco to Providence-
that and the pack of Red Vines I’d convince
mom to buy from the airport concession.
The layover at Chicago O’ Hare was about two
hours and we were traveling alone.
How my mom must have felt each time we went through
that tunnel, knowing she was hours from her
mother, and that it had been a year since she last held her hand.
About the Poet
Lena Dakessian Halteh is a San Francisco-based writer and multidisciplinary artist. Lena earned her B.A. in English Literature and Art History from UC Berkeley and later returned to pursue her Master’s Degree from UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. In 2017, she launched Pom + Peacock, a whimsical illustration brand inspired by Armenian folk heritage. Her storytelling is rooted in Armenian culture and identity, motherhood and nearly two decades of performing with ARAX Dance. Along with mothering, Lena continues to pursue projects in narrative nonfiction, fiction and children's storytelling, along with the expansion of her illustration and fine art brands.