Poem on Japanese Internment for English. Enjoy.

After the Present

Dust

Miles and miles of dust

As far as the eye can see

Stretching forward

Only to be broken

By the imposing barricade

Of already corroding fence

They stare from behind it

Wide eyed and afraid

Cowed

It's seems almost shameful

To look at them

Once such a proud

Dignified peoples

Once

But now they are little more than animals

Herded into pens

Disrespected, feared, hated

Used

For whatever work there is to be found

They all cling to their meager belongings

All that is left of what must have been a stately array

The lasting memory of what they once possessed

An eclectic collection that had grown vastly over the years

Years filled with hard

Almost backbreaking work

And sweat and blood

And tears

Building towards a greater tomorrow

Towards a time of joy in which they could indulge themselves

Only for an instant

Now it is gone

Leaving only the ghost of things never meant to be

And all they have left are numbered tags

And wide fearful eyes

And dust

Miles and miles of dust

As far as the eye can see

After the Past, for can it really be called a future.