The silent screams of hollow children

Family History

My history
Is a long winding road
That is unknown to me
You see
My nana and Grampy
Are Irish and French
White as possible family's
As far back as you can remember
Born and raised in America
But it's a different story from the other side
My abuela and abuelo
Were born and raised
In Cuba
They immigrated from Cuba
To Connecticut with two daughters
I've never been told
Why they left
How they left
What they took with them
Or how much family they left behind
My father jokes
That even though his family is legal
And not from Mexico
And even though he was born in America
The government
Will deport him to Mexico anyway
I see my abuela and abuelo
About once
Every four years
My abuela's eyes
No longer remember me
Like they used to
Every time she sees me
She thinks a strange girl
Has walked into her room
Before
Her memory's started to slip away
Her English started leaving her mind
And my father had to translate
She told me
That I was beautiful
And if anyone told me otherwise
I had her permission to punch them
In the face
Her smile
When I laughed at that
Looked like she'd forgotten what she'd said
And was confused as to why I was laughing
My history
Is only what I remember
Of what I've figured out
I wish
I knew
More about my family
I wish someone at school
Would assign a paper
Requiring me to research it
So I would have a reason
But that doesn't happen
At least not
For me