Caramel creases stretched across her face

Wrinkles formed around her eyes

As she enriched the room with stories of her birthplace

 

A young girl with clouds under her eyelids

Question marks swirling in her brain

She was the smartest of all the kids

But in a country where her place was in her veins

 

She dreamed to be in the land of the free

She heard of every story, every detail

And wanted to walk along the street of opportunity

To live in the world of a fairytale

 

Her journey began with callouses on her feet

Then from car to train to bus to car

She finally found this land, but felt obsolete

She could see the riches, but only from afar

 

She worked from sun to moon everyday

To ensure her family would be well-fed

She suffered a large lack of pay

But always encouraged her daughter to get ahead

 

That daughter became my mother

And used those words of wisdom as her weapon

I learned to navigate this problem and every other

They are my source of inspiration and expression