Boat Person

Reflections on homeland policy, New Year’s Eve 2017

“Life Boat” — scupture by Nerine Martini; photograph by Tim Dauth (through art filter)

My friend Xin came here a
refugee, a “boat person”,
an escapee of carnage left
behind in Vietnam, after
the war.

Back then, we welcomed them
with open arms, at first, at least,
and overall

(though detractors always
sour the joy)

realising, maybe,
a need to be responsible, for
children left unhomed, nomads
not by choice, seekers of a safe
warm space known

unquestioned,

by children
of the 70s, as
we once were.

My friend spent time
in Malaysian camps, times
of trial, though he spoke
of it offhand, seldom and
matter of fact, just
one of those things. For
this reason, but not
this alone, I cannot try to
speak to his experience.