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

• 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

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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 have, Done so much It's ok, she found a man Living in a timeline, doomed to die
An arrogant father, A stressed mother These are the ingredients To induce stress & trauma Living with unhealed scars Passed down, from those long dead Living in a timeline, doomed to die
The border patrol denied entry, They stay at the border Praying and hoping That they change their minds Knowing only lawyers, might help Living in a timeline, doomed to die
The local gangs, demand Payment from them The local politicians, Apathetic to their plights It's ok, we'll be saved Living in a timeline, doomed to die

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Let us pray, let us meditate They'll come, they'll help The lawyers, they'll come Fighting for a future, doomed to die
He was a boy, that just wanted To play, and love, and work He didn't think his adventure, Would turn into a nightmare, This definitely isn't Dragonball Z Fighting for a future, doomed to die
She was a girl, that just wanted To love, eat, and have a family She didn't think, The Americans would be This Cruel Fighting for a future, doomed to die
They were the state, the authority That just wanted to serve their country They didn't think, they'd be sending Children to die They didn't sign up for that Snuffing out a future, doomed to die
He was a boy, taught to trust The state, merely for existing He didn't think They'd see him As a threat Fighting for future, doomed to die
He was a girl, who knew Not to trust men She...