Join Us

My father left us in 1910
Said, I'm going to America,
I'll be back God knows when
But he liked it and stayed
At least that's what he said
In a letter from Chicago
The stamps were bright red.
Two years later we left
My mom, sister and I
They stopped us at the border
Something's wrong with my eyes
The Germans said anger
But the English said fear
Kept us months in their camps
But we finally got here.

So come on and join us
They won't know who you were
They're not smarter than you, they just think that they are
Take a chance, take the trip
While the door's still ajar.

My father was the oldest of ten so they say
Maybe eight, no one knows
No one cared, they all stayed
Except his youngest sister 1921
Sarah came like the pilgrims
Trying to catch the sun.
First she married a grocer
A good man soon dead
Then she wed cousin Nathan
Tumors ran through his head
Sarah pushed on alone,
Raised three children, denied
That the great horn of plenty
Had brushed her aside.

But come on and join us
We won't say who you were
You come cross the ocean with hope in your heart
Take a chance, take the trip
Watch your dreams slide apart.

My father, my children
My grandchildren, too
We all became Americans
What else could we do?
So we drink lemonade,
Eat Chinese food and sing
Of the dawn's early light
And the mountains in spring.
It's been many years
Since I left the Ukraine
But last night I dreamed
Of a field, lit with grain
My father was standing
With his arms open wide
Said, " Come on, son, join me
Here we'll stand side by side."

So come on and join us
You can change who you were
Why stand around waiting for life to begin?
Take chance, take the trip
Who can say if you'll win?