works by william pham, 2005-present

index | poetry | fiction

Elder Sister
 Her voice came swiftly through the walls like
 missives across wires - tap-tap, tap-tap-tap
 came her voice through Berlin Walls;

 I went, summoned in utmost secrecy
 inherited from the generation of
   code words,
   covert flights,
   promises to stay quiet
 and we stayed quiet, bamboo in forest fires,
 while they yelled, and still they yell,
 though we have long since become
 refugees from refugees

(our boats took us to universities
 instead of small white towns
 or big white cities).

 We said nothing while we read in her room,
 but I remember the voice that came
 swiftly through the walls.

copyright (c) 2005 by william pham