Like my last blog, I wrote a poem to help describe my thoughts and feelings that I had when I read my book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Just for some background before you read it, I would like you to know that this book took place in the 1940's when the United States had Japanese relocation camps. Many of the people that were "relocated" were not just first generation Japanese-Americans, but second generation Japanese-Americans. They were born in America, grew up in America, called themselves Americans, and most didn't even speak native Japanese. These people were ordinary citizens: doctors, lawyers, farmers, and teachers.
In the book, Henry, now a thirteen year-old Chinese boy, visits his friend Keiko in a Japanese camp. She is a second generation Japanese-American who went to school with him, where before he had been the only nonwhite in the whole school. They became somewhat more than friends, and so he had a hard time letting her go. He promises Keiko that he would wait for her to get out of camp, even if they were both wrinkled and old.
One Day
By Catie Shultz
Standing by the chain
link fence,
You are so close, yet
so far away.
One day I will reach
out to you,
Not having to touch
cold metal.
It is only
discrimination that keeps us apart.
One day we will stand
together,
Japanese, Chinese,
American,
It will make no
difference what our heritage is.
Why do they think you
are a spy?
As if you would
betray your country,
We are American!
This is my promise to
you:
I will wait for you
to come home.
If it is not tomorrow,
I will wait for you,
If it is not the next
day, I will wait.
I will wait forever,
and until the end of time for you to come.
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