No One is Illegal

I wrote this poem to express how I feel about immigration, as an immigrant.

By Marwa from Project Citizen in Connecticut

If americans think of immigrants coming to the US

for a better life as illegal

then no one is legal in this land.

America

built by immigrants

who came for a better future

for their kids.

I know how it feels like to leave your home.


It feels cold and lonely

It sounds like the “RR” in teacher, better, eraser

It looks like falling leaves

It taste sweet like honey, yet bitter like Myrrh

It smells like burnt coffee


I have to learn a new language in order to communicate

I have to adopt the new culture in order to fit in

I have to get used to the weather

It is challenging

for one self

let alone to not feel welcomed by people.


America the land of opportunities to be created

Dreams to be supported

Hospitality to be celebrated

America

The land where the rainbow falls

Why now is it illegal?

Project Citizen

Project Citizen '19

Project Citizen is a youth writing lab that is offered as part of the Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield University. The mission of Project Citizen is to empower young writers to engage in issues of social and political importance through a variety of genres in order to both find their voice and to become fully realized citizens in our democracy. Project Citizen brings together students from school districts and towns in Fairfield county that represent a variety of economic, racial, ethnic, and religious demographic groups in an effort to break down the "zip code apartheid" that stands in the way of true collaborative learning.

More responses from Connecticut

Surprise Me

More responses about "dream", "future", "humanity", "identity", and "immigration"

Surprise Me

Writing Our Future: American Creed is part of the National Writing Project’s family of youth publishing projects, all gathered under the Writing Our Future initiative.

Writing Our Future projects are designed by educators for educators and the young people they work with. Intended for use in schools, libraries, and other educational settings. All projects are COPPA compliant and educator-managed. NWP is committed to supporting young people’s writing and civic participation by providing a safe and supportive environment for youth writing, media creation, sharing, and publishing.