My Brother's Book

My brother’s book deserves a look And not just for the time it took, But for the family tree he shook To show the need to strive. His characters are loosely based On relatives whose lives he traced From foreign lands ‘til they embraced New homes when they’d arrive. The story’s universal, though, For as they settle and they grow, We realize how much we don’t know Of how they did survive. Most families who did emigrate Shared hardships and the hand of fate And often, we learn much too late What pushed or helped them thrive. My brother’s book may bring acclaim And might or might not garner fame, But if you read From Where We Came*, His story stays alive. by Burt Rashbaum