A brave young woman boards a boat,

she is determined to live a dream of freedom and

escape frozen tundra of tears and bitter hue.

She crosses the Atlantic and meets a man.

She a native of the land of Laps ,

and he a wayward son of Belgium blood blue.

She is not pretty and he is without care,

they both have motive to love and share:  

he for spite and she for a new home,

they hold each other for a short time

before he escapes to search out a more comely embrace. 

Before he leaves he does the right thing,

for his son he signs the certificate.

The life of the mother and son is not easy,

exiled from her home and her cold family.

The boy grows tough and steet smart.

A reflection of Chicago’s colorful past,

from his mother he inherits a true heart.

He serves her new land in World War Two,

and meets a woman of Scandinavia .

Three daughters are born soon,

one of them would be my mother.

A history of an immigrant family from the Lapland ,

Sami and proud.

We dwell in the new world now,

ever homeward our eyes are drawn,

to the frozen Lap and soil of our breed.

For now we toil in the land that has forgotten its creed.

“Home of the Brave and land of the Free”.

I followed my Grandfather’s example and served this land,

but the lies of traitors have left their mark upon me.

One day I will return home,

and hope I will find warmth among my people

and leave this stolen land of greed. 

Home to the land of my ancestors.

Home to die Free!

 

- By Robert Petersen