City Child Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

City child

He, a small oriental child
-is new immigrant, in limbo
-of resettling, in strange town.

He, has a heart that throbs
-and a tongue that is dumb
-to converse in new place
-to mingle up, become social!

He, talks with his red-striped ball
-hitting the ground with tip-top:
- "Come boys and girls,
-come play ball, come around…"

He, tired of parents' worries
-is alone, with a ball, tip-top…

The neighbouring father,
-frustrated, in anger:
- "He has started wrong;
-I wish to flatten his ball! "

He, the boy, new to the town
-aims for the basket, on their wall,
- (basketball)
-doubling the noise, pom-pom.

Neighbour chews his teeth
-reveals the Ox, inside
-practices to be a fox
-talks as if in rodeo
-a large-nosed bull…

I, lost in between
-think of the sides
-of seasonal sky
-vast and clear in desert
-covered with clouds
-of suspicion and doubt
-in multi-cultural Canada…
- "Welcoming immigrants? "