A Greeting

Wherever you may be
I send you greetings, little sister,
I wish I could share your sufferings,
How I long to be with you.

Your whole life has been joyless, difficult,
robbed of the carefreeness of youth.
I wanted to give you better things;
that things went awry was not my fault.

Always you showed me understanding,
you always came through for me,
You’ve been deported to distant lands
And I, your brother, was left alone

Bear up against the injustice, the violence
that now threatens you maliciously
May you stay healthy, safe, stay strong
Against the hatred, betrayal and scorn.

And should the war some day be over
I will go look for you
In my thoughts, I clasp your hands
softly saying ‘till we meet again.’

How I long to speak to you
My thoughts are flying to you,
And often my heart feels about to break,
because I am so blue.

Post-Editing: Susan Bernofsky, Hanny Veenendaal