This Freedom

By Elaheh Farmand

I came to America, 

25 years ago

with rose-colored glasses,

a suitcase of memories,

and my mother’s dreams 

unfolded.

I came to America

with little English

and a lot of bitterness because

our struggles as new immigrants

embarrassed me.

But I came to America

with my mother’s hopes

and from her,

I learned that we were lucky,

privileged,

to be living

the American Dream.

I am grateful, but…

this freedom is not equal for every body

this freedom destroys Mother Earth and builds walls

this freedom demands documents as proof of humanity

this freedom has us placing signs on our windows and back yards: “Hate has no home here.” 

This freedom has become an immigrant’s nightmare: black and brown children in cages,

Latina mother in a coma on the brink of deportation

Immigrant women undergoing forced hysterectomies

This freedom is the terror of ICE: 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

This freedom manufactures

consent that our enemy,

is an Iraqi or an Afghani or 

another brown body.

This freedom betrays

and cries crocodile tears

while waging wars under disguise

of human rights.

This freedom attacks

our rights to our bodies

our books in our schools.

This freedom will

chase away

all that remains

of a once American dream

I come from Iran, 

where dreaming is forbidden, and execution arbitrary

where a ticket to America is a ticket to heaven

my parents brought me here so that I could be free

so that I could dream and be who I want to be 

And yet here I am,

shaking with anger

“My body, my choice!” 

this poem continues to get longer

this freedom reminds me of the very place I left

This freedom breaks my heart.

Elaheh Farmand is an Iranian immigrant and writer. In 2016, she founded the series, “Immigrants & Exile: Stories of Nostalgia & Longing”. The series gives space for people to share their experiences of nostalgia, exile, and longing. Elaheh fights for and dreams of a society restructured to place people’s needs and wellbeing before profits. She is occasionally nostalgic for her childhood in Iran, but focuses her energy on organizing, connecting with her community, her family and friends.