Lena Hui

Lena Hui is a finalist in the Housing Leadership Council’s 2021 Youth Poetry Competition (6-12 category).

Poem on Belonging

COMING HOME

Home, sweet home
Trace the footsteps of those before.
Walk down the beaten road of the El Camino.
Think of those who fought for their freedom. 
Nourishing at home, the farmers marched for a day, 
hoping for a better generation, a better future.

Home, the sound of home
It empowers who fight for the freedom of home.
Walk the bridges of Golden and Bay,
Collecting the whispering words of those in Angel Island. 
Stitching the pieces of shattered dreams,
Quilt them back together with hopes and dreams.

Home, California dreamin’
Feel the pain of those striped their homes away
Walk the modern shopping mall of Tanforan
Let’s save souls of boys and girls waiting for a train to the camp 
Running away together for a world,
Build a strong community where people keep and protect their dignity

Home, oh, the guiding light
Let our souls fly free
Walk into the long narrow underground tunnel
Where people come together.
Looking up the North Star, they searched for the sign of hope 
Shared hopes and dreams make us stronger.

Working for the future generation to have a better home, a better world.

With our healed dreams, let us walk from San Diego to Sonoma. 
Our hearts, beating as one.

Hope to experience the freedom of Home.

Copyright © 2022 by Lena Hui. Used with permission of the author.