DANCING ON THE BORDERLINE
Tonight I am one of the lost souls,
Dancing on the borderline.
Confused about this strange America.
Cornucopia of the brave and fine.
Tonight I stand with the discarded,
Floating on a barge in the open sea,
Bewildered by the stern crossed arms,
That used to open and welcome me.
Dancing, dancing on the waves,
Fleeing the tyranny and the devastation.
The turmoil of my native land,
The burnt out shacks, the shifting sand,
The lonesome degradation.
And we are not that far apart,
Though you have hardened your rebel hearts.
And the troubles that have befallen me,
Run far deeper than a tax on tea.
I am talking a wild and a dangerous ride,
Hunger pangs and genocide.
How can we be rivals,
My only crime survival.
And yours in all your wisdom
Is only tunnel vision.
But your tunnel vision is killing me.
I would clean your toilets if only you’d agree,
You and your Statue of Liberty.
Yet still I wait in these shadows alone,
Far away from the place I used to call home,
And my heart is shattered and cracked,
My bridges are burned, I can never go back.
And though you say you cannot accept more,
More of the dispossessed, downtrodden and poor.
I am running out of time, still dancing on your borderline,
Confused about this strange America,
Cornucopia of the brave and fine.
-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2011
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Another great poem. I tried to imagine being on that ship crossing the ocean and seeing the Statue of Liberty come into sight. I would love to one day take another trip to NYC. I have partial memory as a little girl seeing the Statue of Liberty but I think it is mainly cause I have seen the pics. Have a wonderful day. Oh and I am on my dad's computer posting this. I still don't know why my computer won't let me.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. I wish I could clone you so I'd have enough readers to continue forever! I appreciate your faithfulness!
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