Poem of Immigration 6 A.M. I gather my belongings Looking over the house Checking and double checking Looking to make sure that i have everything Leaving nothing behind I begin to walk out of the house reminiscing This is the house I have grown up in The house that I will not see anymore I walk outside and turn back to the house Thinking of all the things that my siblings and I have done Remembering all the good times before the war Reliving my childhood Seeing myself run back and forth Around the yard and neighborhood My husband calls to me “gehen wir Honig”
Let’s go honey I walk towards the car I look back one final time and get into the car 7 A.M. We arrive at the dock shipping yard We jump out the car Rushing to gather all our belongings so we can join the line We bring them to the dock In nervousness I hold my stomach. Looking up to my husband As the line moves slower than molasses Inch by inch The closer we get the more I get scared 9:45 A.M. Finally the next person We saw many people leave upset They left angry and cursing Some crying and being forced to leave the line
I get nervous when they ask for my name Lucky my husband is quick to speak He says “My wife's name is AnnaBella Luna Ackerman. Her maiden name is AnnaBella Luna Adam. My name is Joseph Toussaint Ackerman. We are going to be in New York city. Here are our papers sir.” 9:50 A.M. We walk onto the boat Walking up to the ticket collector I handed him both Joseph's and my own ticket and proceed to the rest of the people. I look around for any faces that I recognize But I don’t see any I cling closely to Joseph 4:50 P.M. After spending most of the day introducing ourselves to the other Germans I head to the room without Joseph
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5 P.M. Finally found our room Its far smaller than I expected, It is quite dirty and has limited room to move around Being two months pregnant I have the urge to clean up the room I begin with sweeping the floor and putting on clean sheets After doing so I sit on the bed and lay back Slowly drifting into a deep sleep. I wake up the next day 3 weeks pass After weeks of being on this boat We have finally reached to New York A week of bad seas Everyday regretting that we left But finally We have arrived at Ellis Island Safely Â
It’s around 1A.M. The conductor says “Nehmen Sie Ihre Papiere!” Take out your papers! “Hablen sie in der hand” Have them in hand! We do as told and head to the exit of the ship We are one of the first off the ship with all our belongings We go to the authorities Giving them our papers It feels like hours as they look them over Then send us to German translator He explains everything to us Never looking me in the eyes but looking past both of us After about 34 hours We walk out into the world Seeing the tall skyscrapers And the statue of Liberty
I look around and see my cousin We walk to her and I hug her Looking back at the port Reflecting on the life I am leaving behind These thoughts have never gone away ever since I came to this country Ashley O
I prepared for the physical, and emotional pain. I come to America to fulfill the American Dream I come to America to find freedom, justice and happiness Instead i face discrimination. Many have came to this country by boat, running, sneaking through vans, and under buses.
I came to this country for a new beginning and new opportunities. I came for hope of getting a better education I hope to become someone I want to help the world be better i know i can do But why do these light skinned people think i can't Why do they start speaking Spanish to me? I can speak english Why is that? Why is it when i walk on the streets i feel everyone staring. I hear murmurs and laughter Is there something on me? Was there a joke i didn't hear? Do they laugh at my skin color? Or is it has my long beautiful hair sways when i walk?
Are they laughing at my accent? I come to this country to receive money and to be able to buy things i couldn't buy before Instead i face “funny jokes” and names Even our kids that were born here face it and they are American. We are forced to work in jobs americans don't want Americans don't want jobs as a factory worker, or maid, or landscaper but yet they get mad at us for taking it. We get threaten with la migra also known as immigration police We get low wages and are expected to pay high rent. These people expect too much. They expect me to be like them. I'm trying but i can't. I wish i had their blue eyes
I wish for their blonde hair Instead i have black long hair I have brown eyes I have tan skin i have big eyes I feel as if i can never be as pretty as them or as smart But i know i can and i know i will = Camila Alvarado People from all around the world Come to the United States to be free. They say that you are free Able to do things that you weren‛t allowed to do At there old country.
With these people coming to the US War had started coming up because when the immigrants want to stay, they have to have a passport People from other countries try and get away from The problem that they had But then come to the US and then a few months later They have to leave because they don‛t allow people to stay for so long if there immigrants It‛s so unfair because they want to be in the land of the free So be fair and let have freedom for the people -Edward Merced