THE EYES OF THE IMMIGRANT MOTHER

if you look closely you may notice that the Immigrant Mother speaks through her eyes
through quick glances and longing stares
her eyes reveal the dreams of a different life
the Immigrant Mother belongs to a different time

she belongs to her teenage years
when she danced and cried
and breathed and screamed
and spoke with her eyes to other teenage boys
the Immigrant Mother belongs to a time
before your father
when life seemed endless
and her eyes longed to see the world

and yet life has brough the Immigrant Mother here
to a foreign land
her eyes still speak the same language but who is here to listen?
the Immigrant Mother speaks through her eyes
and she has a lot to teach: wisdom from a life led with pride, joy, defiance, and sacrifice
she speaks of her childhood and the motherland
and teaches love, kindness, and how to grow food from the earth
the Immigrant Mother speaks through her eyes
and she has a lot to say
and it’s time we stop to listen