Hi everyone, my name is Kadin Tran and I am a new writer here at the Odyssey. As one of two (possibly three?) Vietnamese here at Cairn, I would like to share with you a piece of my background. My parents came to America after the Vietnam War and because of their sacrifices, I am where I am today. As a remembrance of their sacrifices for me, on the 75th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 2015, I wrote this poem for them. This poem is a response to the quote by Binh Nguyen Loc. Not only is this poem dedicated to my parents but it is also for every immigrant that had to give up everything they knew to come to a foreign land.
“Our ancestors through many years of hardships have come to this new land to pave the way for their children to move forward. They are the pioneers that have sacrificed their own lives so that their children can have better lives” - Binh Nguyen Loc
My name is Hardship
I am in the lives of many
People who have crossed the seas have me in their life
I have prevented them from enjoying their time on earth
I have placed my mark on their hands
I have created a language barrier between them and the foreigners
I make them work 2, no 3 jobs a day to make ends meet
I isolated them from their family
And I take joy in their tears
My name is Hope
Many immigrants have me in their heart
I am the reason why they cross the high mountain and deep seas
I sprinkle down a dream of a future for them and their children
I give them the reason to wake up before sunrise and work until past twilight
I give them a vision, a glimpse, of their future and if they hold on to me they might see it come true
My name is Fear
I am the twin brother of Hope
Wherever Hope goes, I follow
I block their dreams and destroy their hope
I hover over them like a never ending shadow
You can see me in their eyes
I scare them in their dreams and show my presence in their lives
I watch over them as they get on the boat, getting ready to take over
The moment they step their foot into the new land I welcome them in
My name is Yearning
I do not want to but somehow I slowly creep into people's lives
As days and months pass by, I feed on the feeling of isolation in the new land
Separated from family and friends, the boat people fall deeper into my ocean of tears
They will yearn for their people
They will yearn for their land
And they will yearn for their culture
My name is Peace
I calm the storm in the hearts of these people
I give comfort to their worries
I will impart a piece of me when they finally escape the war
I travel along the side of my friend Hope, and together we bring happiness, faith, and love back to the people
Many will feel me when they have a sense of security in the new country
It may take me a long time to get to you and show up in your life
But just know that I am coming…
I am coming…
My name is Gratitude
I help generations after generations to remember what their ancestor had done
I do not let them forget where they came from
I let them know the sacrifices of their ancestors that allow them to eat in the land of milk and honey
I remind them of their identity and of their culture
I remind them of their motherland
But most importantly I make them strive for the better so that the sacrifices the people had made before them will not go in vain.
My name is Kadin and I have Gratitude in my heart
And Hope in my dreams, all because of the actions the people before me had fought hard for.
