Immigrants' Return
Lucia Cherciu


Like a gate in Maramureş, faith welcomes us home
as we are. Some complain that the new houses 
look like kitsch palaces, don’t fit with the music 
of old churches carved out of an oak tree.

White porches stand blighted by scaffoldings 
for the mansions rising overnight. Following

 medieval princes descending with cavalcades 
of horses, we return and listen to glinting steeples.

At wells with columns balancing the moon, 
we return night after night. Some of us are poorer 

 than when we left. Some of us retrace our steps 
in disguised shame. Some of our children 

 speak a broken language. Some of us see shadows 
near fences, silhouettes dissolving in the sunset.
 

About the author:
Lucia Cherciu was born in Romania. She teaches English at SUNY/ Dutchess in Poughkeepsie, NY and is the author of Edible Flowers (Main Street Rag, 2015), Lepădarea de Limbă (Editura Vinea, 2009), and Altoiul Râsului (Editura Brumar, 2010). Her poetry has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and for Best of the Net. 

Photo Credits:   
Karl Barth