A Migrant’s Letter To His Parents

Dear mom and dad,

This is to inform you that I have started on my journey homeward, I am treading slowly on this daunting path, that leads to my childhood home.

You must be wondering why I am leaving the city life I loved so much and fought with you all to come here, but now this city holds no dreams and charms for me, I haven’t eaten for days and all I see are endless pushing lines for food, trying to made people understand me is tiring me now, all I hear around me is loud swearing, rude people pushing and cheating me.

Now I am a penniless, beaten, sweaty and weary migrant who has lost his will to live and survive so I am coming back home to you

I came to this city I love when I was barely in my teens eyes full of dancing dreams leaving behind my parched, cracked, thirsty fields, I was as impoverished villager who was happy playing with his friends and now my back is broken and all I eat is dry bread and water.

The stuffy, dirty slums which I called my home I shared with ten more friends of mine was looked down upon by the white class who wrinkled their noses in disgust, now we have been asked to leave and pine for our sweet village street.

We are orphans now in this big city, no mother, no father to care for us, while gentlemen sip beer and discuss politics in their tall homes we built. I seem to have so many choices in front of me, to die of starvation, disease or to walk towards the green green grass of home.

I long for the shady trees of my village where we drank buttermilk and munched on corns shared by all old and young, weak and strong

The crowds of us throng far and wide, pushing, shoving the waves of human tide like an infection of termites, some hide and walk and some are pushed back, punished and thrown out left to die.

With parched throat and cracked feet, we dream of our homes we left behind, our hope, strength, pride all destroyed, no longer can I trust and not a minute can I wait to be in your warmth mother.

I am coming home to you slowly a broken man, my road ahead is long and winding so mother please wait for me I am on my way homeward

Your broken son.