Leaving America
I
Moving was never easy
not across town
not to a new city
a faraway state.
This was America
a new job for dad
good schools
new friends
mom said.
That was our life
growing up
in Fifties America.
My world was never
Father Knows Best
American Graffiti
perfect.
II
My world died
Kennedy was killed
King was killed
Bobby was killed.
There was the war
away in the eastern world
not my war
not mine
old enough to kill
I felt the draft
blowing my way.
Something had died
deep in my homeland
deep in my heart
that would never live
after this.
III
I could have stayed
could have signed up
I suppose fought
as some did and died
perhaps.
I was afraid
not of joining
not of fighting
but of America
what it had become.
IV
Moving was not easy
not out of America
not to a strange city
to another land
so different yet
so much the same.
Not just an immigrant
I was a refugee
a stranger
in a strange land.
Draft-dodger to some
coward and traitor
even in Canada.
Some called me and others
political freedom fighters
conscientious objectors.
Americans in Canada
unable to ever go home
we only felt very alone.
V
An amnesty was announced.
Most of us in Canada
didn't trust this amnesty
didn't trust America
anymore.
Fearing a trap
most of us stayed
put on ill-fitting
Canadian identities
became uneasy citizens
in our new land.
VI
Half a century later
estranged from our home
many of us have died
not from war but old age
and regret.
This betrayal
of us and by us
remains a cancer
in our hearts.
VII
I have no regret
that I left America
only that America
made leaving necessary
took from me
my home.
I cannot forget.
by Contributing Poet Bob MacKenzie Copyright © 2018
VWP 2020 First published in somewhere still in wind the tree is bending by Silver Bow Publishing,
New Westminster, BC 2018
I
Moving was never easy
not across town
not to a new city
a faraway state.
This was America
a new job for dad
good schools
new friends
mom said.
That was our life
growing up
in Fifties America.
My world was never
Father Knows Best
American Graffiti
perfect.
II
My world died
Kennedy was killed
King was killed
Bobby was killed.
There was the war
away in the eastern world
not my war
not mine
old enough to kill
I felt the draft
blowing my way.
Something had died
deep in my homeland
deep in my heart
that would never live
after this.
III
I could have stayed
could have signed up
I suppose fought
as some did and died
perhaps.
I was afraid
not of joining
not of fighting
but of America
what it had become.
IV
Moving was not easy
not out of America
not to a strange city
to another land
so different yet
so much the same.
Not just an immigrant
I was a refugee
a stranger
in a strange land.
Draft-dodger to some
coward and traitor
even in Canada.
Some called me and others
political freedom fighters
conscientious objectors.
Americans in Canada
unable to ever go home
we only felt very alone.
V
An amnesty was announced.
Most of us in Canada
didn't trust this amnesty
didn't trust America
anymore.
Fearing a trap
most of us stayed
put on ill-fitting
Canadian identities
became uneasy citizens
in our new land.
VI
Half a century later
estranged from our home
many of us have died
not from war but old age
and regret.
This betrayal
of us and by us
remains a cancer
in our hearts.
VII
I have no regret
that I left America
only that America
made leaving necessary
took from me
my home.
I cannot forget.
by Contributing Poet Bob MacKenzie Copyright © 2018
VWP 2020 First published in somewhere still in wind the tree is bending by Silver Bow Publishing,
New Westminster, BC 2018
Bio: Bob MacKenzie's poetry has appeared in almost 400 journals across North America
and as far away as Australia, Greece, India & Italy in publications including Literary Review of Canada,
Dalhousie Review, Windsor Review, and Ball State University Forum.
He's published sixteen volumes of poetry & prose-fiction & his work's been in numerous anthologies.
Bob's received numerous local & international awards for his writing as well as an Ontario Arts Council
grant for literature, Canada Council Grant for performance, and Fellowship to attend
the Summer Literary Seminars in Tbilisi, Georgia.
With the ensemble Poem de Terre, for eighteen years Bob's poetry has been spoken and sung live
with original music. The group has released six albums.
and as far away as Australia, Greece, India & Italy in publications including Literary Review of Canada,
Dalhousie Review, Windsor Review, and Ball State University Forum.
He's published sixteen volumes of poetry & prose-fiction & his work's been in numerous anthologies.
Bob's received numerous local & international awards for his writing as well as an Ontario Arts Council
grant for literature, Canada Council Grant for performance, and Fellowship to attend
the Summer Literary Seminars in Tbilisi, Georgia.
With the ensemble Poem de Terre, for eighteen years Bob's poetry has been spoken and sung live
with original music. The group has released six albums.
Except where otherwise attributed, all pages & content herein
Copyright © 2014 - 2024 Paul Hellweg VietnamWarPoetry.com All rights reserved
Westerly, Rhode Island, USA