Aline Dolinh

Immigrant

I miss the fluid feel of my old name in my mouth, my tongue tracing 
the soft syllables. It got stolen along the way somehow,
though I don’t speak in broken English anymore. Add it to the list of items
we lost, but have to learn to stop missing. 
Our bloodlines are still dragging, 
those threads tangled vaguely in that space between east and west,
assigned identities not quite fitting. I know they said the war is over, 
but I still want to fight. 

 

Aline Dolinh (Ðỗ Linh Ái Linh), 14 years, student in Oakton High School, Virginia (USA).
Award: 2013 National Student Poet