Children look up to their parents
Mothers and fathers strength epitomize
But my parents were new immigrants
Always meek, afraid- it took me long to realize
How strong they were- forced to seek asylum
In a country where they knew neither language nor custom
They tried to earn a living honest
Stretched thin, they did strive to give their children the best
**
When I was young, I did not understand
Their obsequiousness, apologies constant
I was angry whenever I saw them not take a stand
Against insults and injustice, they remained silent
I knew the language, was learning in school
Principles of equality, liberty etc.- but I was a fool
Equal before law does not necessarily mean
Equal in society-we lived at the fringes, largely unseen
My parents worked quietly, in the background
Noticed only when they made a mistake
They would rectify their errors without making a sound
As if indifferent to insults, after all money was at stake
**
Ah, money is what makes the world revolve
Our lives revolved around it too
My parents worked with a steely resolve
To put food on the table, any honest work they would do
Workers’ rights, benefits, equality of pay
Did not concern them in any way
Their docility often caused me aggravation
Much later I understood their situation..
**
Language was a barrier hard to break
They learnt English, but spoke with a painful accent
Also a very long time it does take
To learn language that cultural nuances represents
Those insults, the blows to their self-respect that I perceived
They were partly shielded from, they were able to quietly receive
Because the language used they did not understand
It helped them survive in a foreign land..
**
I have seen their confidence grow
With every milestone attained
They look you in the eye, their eyes glow
Their initial fear has now waned
I have, as their daughter, found
A respect for their early tribulations profound
Their strength did lie in their being meek
Their actions spoke when in words they could not speak..
Passion...unbridled 