Where is My Motherland?
Dear Asian Youth, Motherland 中國 “Middle Country” A faraway place, the place of my roots Where my grandparents and their parents grew...
Cover Photo Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/coronavirus-race-artists-asian-american-identity.html
Motherland Homeland
中國 “Middle Country” 美國 “Beautiful Country”
A faraway place, the place of my roots The place where I live, the land of my birth
Where my grandparents and their parents grew Where my parents grew up
They left the land of their home and where I began my search
For opportunity. For identity.
A place that I long for A place that I have struggled to love
And wish I knew more about And know too much about
The place of my roots The place of my birth
That my school and education Where school and education
never talked about. Are the only subjects talked about
The place of my identity The place of my identity
But what about the other? But what about the other?
A constant battle A constant battle
That I feel I am losing That I am winning
The land of “my people” The land of “many people”
Or so I am told Or so I am told
But would I belong? But do I belong?
After generations of being gone? In the land I was raised on?
My mother tongue My native language
One I’ve struggled to hold One I was taught since I was four years old
A language never taught at school The language taught in school
That I have spent years struggling to learn That I have spent years, mastering
Sometimes I sit and wonder Sometimes I sit and wonder
What would’ve been What would've been
Had my family not left Had my family not left
Had they not gone to another land Had they stayed in the motherland
What opportunities would I have had? Would I have had the same opportunities?
What education would I have had? Would I have had an education?
Who would I have gotten to know? Would I have met the same friends?
How would I see the world? Would I see the world the way I do?
Would I stare up and think what could have been? Would I still question who I am?
我係中國人 (I am Chinese) I am Chinese
I am American 我係美國人 (I am American)
Both are my identities.
– Chris Fong Chew