Hola,
This poem, is a response to the documentary Which Way Home, I watched the documentary during a special event at The New School when I was an undergraduate student in the Spring of 2011. On my way home I was very emotional. When I am very emotional I normally I write, and that is what I did on my way home that afternoon.
Enjoy!
—–
Which Way Home?
Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye!
Hasta Luego mama
Nos vemos Hermana
Adios Papa
Millones son las formas de las cuales estos niños se despiden
Not knowing what’s about to come
Nights of cold
Days of hunger
Moths of sorrow
Minutes of wonder
Que sera? Se imaginanan muchos
Que sera cuando llegue
Voy a estudiar
Voy a trabajar
Voy ahorrar dinero
Para mandarle a mama
But many of these children only get to wonder
As many lose their lives
Adios Abuela
Nos vemos ciudad
They welcome a journey
Without looking back
Next comes “the beast”
La bestia sera
Un tren que los lleva
Al norte
Hacia la libertad
Una libertad que mata
Una libertad que duele
Una libertad que abusa
Los sentimientos que mas duelen
Don’t ask me about my mother
Why, may I ask?
I don’t want to remember
Or else I will cry
A quien buscas al otro lado?
I’m going to find my mother
Who I have not seen in years
Nothing will stop me
Not even fear
I’m on my way to freedom
On my way to a new life
No matter how long it will take
I will make it HOME
Estos niños se enfrentan al mundo
Se enfrentan al abuso
Un abuso que engendra
Engendra un niño en la niña abusada
Engendra un miedo
Un miedo que mata
Engendra la posibilidad del nunca, jamas
But why, may i ask
Why are you doing this?
You are a child, a child of God
Vete con Dios
Muchos se despiden
Me voi con Dios
Los ninos dicen
They embark on a life changing journey
Alone
Or with a smuggler
Who could abuse the child or even kill them
This journey snatches away their innocence
Snatches away their lives
Snatches away their hopes
Snatches away their homes
Home
I am going home
Home
To America
Con la mente determinada
Muchos no volverán
Pero lo que ellos esperan
Desde el fondo de sus corazones
Es llegar
Y decir
Mama te vengo ayudar
Mom I came to help you
A help that may never arrive
Because these children did not know
Which way home,
Como llegar a su hogar?
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