During the first iteration of Trump, I wrote a poem in response to what he was doing to immigrant refugees. The title of the poem was Who Slammed the Door? Of course Trump was the primary answer to that question, but the people who voted their agreement with Trump’s statement that these “illegals” were rapists and murderers were also responsible.

The poem tried to replace that image with something closer to reality.

Now Trump is back and things are even worse. It is time to print the poem again, especially as we reach the season of Thanksgiving.

Not everyone in America can give thanks this year.

Who Slammed the Door?

Land of the free,
Home of the brave,
What happened to your courage?

We have walked a thousand miles toward freedom.
Where did freedom go?

It is not trivial
that they come in the night.
It is not trivial
that they rape and kill.
It is not trivial
to be hungry.
It is not trivial
to be afraid.
It is not trivial
to see your father disappear
to see your mother disappear
to know that you are next.

Would you walk a thousand miles
for a trivial reason?

In our homeland, they throw us in jail.
In America, they throw us in jail.

In our homeland, they take parents
from their children in the night.

In America, they take children
from their parents in broad daylight.

Land of the free,
Home of the brave,
What happened to your courage?
Your compassion?
Your understanding?
Your humanity?

Land of the free,
Home of the brave,
Who slammed the door on freedom?