A very old woman sits cross-legged
on a colorful quilt, spooning food
from a bowl held close to her mouth.
I came to see her daughter, Seng

who uses tiny stitches to tell stories
of a past life in Laos, through snakes,
snails, crosses and elephant tracks,
consecrating skills known for generations.

It is more than twenty years since leaving 
the displaced persons camp, young
eager newly-weds with one tiny child,
set out to a land of unknowns.

Seng’s children now number six,
the youngest still in college. In her haltingly
strong accent, she tells of masters degrees,
engineers, and computer specialists.

Once alien to urban dwelling, she lives in a duplex.
With little formal education, she instills
love of learning into her children,
bridging the chasm between cultures.

Loraine Brink