River Lines, Pacyinz Lyfoung, 2001

River Lines, Pacyinz Lyfoung, 2001


There are lines are that drawn
Dividing one side and another
Different pages…
Different boundaries…
Different ideologies…
Although, except for the line
Right could be left
Up could be down
Depending on where is one’s ground


There are rivers that rise
Creating different banks…
Different shores…
Different landings…
Although, except for the river
The trees still look the same
On either side…
And that country
That would have been my country
Is now the foreign shore
Upon which my footsteps
Can never land

There are events that turn
Children into grown-ups
Friends into foes
Lovers into strangers
Farmers into soldiers
Natives into aliens
Refugees into Americans
Although, who we used to be
Is not too far from
Who we still are