Alaska

American people rushed to Alaska to find gold.

Whales swam into Alaska to find their cozy summer house.

Salmon set their hometown in Alaska’s cold creek water.

I found my blue solitude in Alaska’s Glacier Bay.

Salmon

Salmon travelled the Pacific Ocean for seven years

In order to return to their hometown.

I travelled the world for 50 years

In order to find my hometown.

We shared a couple things in common:

One was the clean-water creek hometown

And the other was the vast ocean and the world.

Oh, one more:

We were seafarer and wayfarer.

Salmon escaped and avoided brown bear’s sharp and brutal teeth and toes

On the way to the sea,

Huge fishing ship’s widest net in the sea,

Killer whale’s very big mouth,

And eagles waiting for their home coming.

Homecoming is always touch and rough

Through life span.

I overcame penniless poverty, cultural and language barriers, racial bias

And prejudice in the world,

And returned to the hometown.

What sustained our lives had been our common desire to survive

And return to the hometown safely.

That was victorious and glorious to both of us.

My ancestor could come from the salmon family

Or I will be a salmon after this life.