My grandmother saw America

not as a land of opportunity,

but as a last resort.

Taking off only when there was nothing left

Leaving because a twenty-six-year-old with four children

cannot provide on a dime.

My grandfather saw America

as a place to get by.

Because working three jobs was better than sharing one

Because being frustrated was better than being broke

 

My grandmother tells me

that she was scared

when her baby was ripped from her arms by doctors,

and no one could tell her what was wrong.

My grandfather tells me

that his days in Venezuela

were days of adventure,

his days in Italy

were days of imagination,

and his days in America

are days of survival.

My father tells me

that things are better now

Everyone has an education,

a house,

a family.

We speak English.

We live in neighborhoods where no one shares our story.

Things are better now,

 

but there is a hole that will never be filled.

We watch soccer on RAI,

we share Italian recipes,

we try to learn the language of our ancestors,

but nothing will ever be the same

My father sees America

as a place where we can be free,

but he sees Italia

as a place that he can call home.

 

Title Translation: We See America