The Children Who Didn't Grow Up to Save the Future

• Citation: Vol. 4 No. 1
• Publication year: 2022

The Children Who Didn't Grow Up to Save the Future

A Poem by a Former ORR Case Manager

Eric Esqueda ^*

They were scared, Saying goodbye To everyone & Everything they knew Living in a country, That hates them
They were boys, scoundrels Told to work Never to cry And never to quit Living in a country, That hates them
They were girls, young things Told to work It's ok to cry And never to speak Living in a country, That hates them
He was a stranger in a land That police held at arm's length Until their leader Their Sergeant Said, It's ok, let them through Living in a timeline, doomed to die
He was a son, Wanting to do his father Proud Trying to contribute

[Page 126]

To his family's welfare Living in a timeline, doomed to die
She was a daughter Wanting to escape abuse Afraid Trying to show her child Strength, in adversity Living in a timeline, doomed to die
He was a student, a slacker The teachers said He'd never amount to Anything, except labor That's ok, he likes work Living in a timeline, doomed to die
She was a student, a star The teachers said She could...