Ethan Week 6- “[Immigration Headline]", by Javier Zamora

 

The poem “[Immigration Headline]", by Javier Zamora is a poem about the author, Javier, who is growing up in extreme poverty and harsh living conditions, seeking to leave his country, Mexico, for a better life in the United States. 

Javier discusses the measures of preparation he took for his difficult migration journey ahead, such as packing up raw food and carrying around all of his clothing in plastic bags. In my opinion, hearing this makes me feel very fortunate about my own life as I cannot imagine living in such extreme poverty and hardship that I would have to pack up all of my belongings and flee to another country. 

Moreover, Javier discusses how this was not just his journey, but there was “a bunch of [them] waiting for more... to flee. He describes the group as “a tribe[,] a small village[,]”, seeking to escape. This statement made me reflect on how blessed we all are to be citizens of the United States of America: the richest, most prosperous country in the history of the world. I believe that we too often take the luxuries of this country for granted. Javier is a prime example that should remind each and every one of us how easy our lives are in comparison to others living in third world countries or abject poverty. 

Finally, Javier depicted how he used to play in the mud, climb trees, and carve things during his childhood. This shocked me because my childhood growing up was very different. What was your reaction to Javier discussing his childhood? Can we as high schoolers make an impact in helping others from countries like these? Should Javier have taken the legal path towards citizenship?


https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/150065/immigration-headline-5ce31b094388a


Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 6, 2021 at 9:26 PM

    Hey Ethan. Just like you, I was very surprised and taken aback while reading parts of this poem and your analysis. Like you mentioned, learning about Javier's experiences and conditions as a kid/teen in his home country make me feel EXTREMELY grateful and appreciative of the life I currently have, and makes me truly wonder about the conditions of children around the world. Like you said, this poem did a great job in opening my eyes to the true conditions of millions of children around the world, and how immigration to the United States ends up being the last resort for many families, just like Javier's.

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