Being Born Here

Being Born Here

I am here...an American
Product of those who were here from ancient times
Product of those who came after those first ones
I was born here.

I live in a country which is what it is
Because of all who were here first
Because of all who came here after
Some of it good and some not
I was born here.

My ancestors were here
The ones who were here first
Who roamed this land and still left it virgin
The ones who started first
They were born here.

My ancestors were also
The ones who came here after
Who took and made mistakes
The ones who hoped for a new life
They were not born here.

I am a product of all this heritage
Of beauty, tradition, goodness
Of hopes, dreams, and building
Of mistakes
I was born here.

This is my country
I am blessed to live in my country
It is a land of beginnings
A land of hope
I love this land
I was born here.

Can I not show compassion
To others who have hope
For the better life I enjoy
After all half of my heritage
Is from the taking
From the coming...so that
I could be born here.

Now others are coming here
Filled with the hope that my ancestors had
Taking away from me and the first ones
The way my ancestors did
Making mistakes
Hoping for a better life
So that their children...their descendants
Could be born here.

Can I not adjust and share
As my ancestors
The ones who were here first
Had to do...so that
I could be born here.

Life is a circle
Turtle Island is a circle
Creator's earth
We must remember
And thank Him that...
We are all born here!
(C) Corinne H. Mustafa