On boats they came
from far away.
Places large and small
they left behind
with their hearts in tow.
For many,
never to return again
to where they started.
To where their hearts began.
And from the boats,
now leaving them behind,
they travel onward to find a home
where their hearts can grow like flowers
dug up from one bed and planted in another.
New lives they’ll sprout, hopefully better
even than the dreams carrying here.
And yet alone they’ll be,
because they left behind
those they loved for the very first time.
So many they will never see again.
Whose hearts will die, broken
because those they loved
moved so very far away.
And some who left,
will try their best to remember,
and not forget those left behind.
New faces, on their children born,
will wear the names of those left behind.
And these new faces,
if they’re lucky,
will be reminded time to time
of those they never knew.
And perhaps, if they are lucky,
someday they will see the faces
who first wore the names they now wear.
Dedicated to all leaving the home they had to find a new home.
Poetic Alchemist 
Thanks Aurora. Now, I see what you mean. I’ve never been to Serbia. My closest visit was Hungary.
Thank you Kai. Glad you enjoyed the poem.
well said
& very piognant!
Don, they were from the former Yugoslavia. We are Serbian.
Thank you Pat, Dan, Aurora, and Polona. Glad you enjoyed this one. This issue has been on my mind and I decided to write a poem about it.
Pat, you’re right…such courage. We have no idea. My grandfather Iannone was 15 when he came to the US in 1904.
Dan, it’s an interesting time in the American SW with the immigration issues there. We encountered major issues in this regard in our Tucson work.
Aurora, wow! Thanks for sharing this. Which country are your parents from?
To all, I wish you well in this global world in which we live. Namaste.
poignant stuff, don.
thank you
My Mom and Dad were immigrants, and with what is happening in the world today, especially to my people and heritage, this holds special significance. The last three lines are especially poignant.
Nice one, Don. We just had a rally on the Plaza supporting immigrants. Our Mayor spoke at it… in Spanish, I think…
I cannot imagine having to do that. Here’s to the bravey and courage of those who do!!