This is the common sap
of humanity's tree.
It flows within us all.
A shared communion
enabler and advancer
lifting us above our animal origins.
Language- the magical gift of mankind,
placing us higher
than mere Neanderthal brutes,
ignorant and mute.
Speech- architect of culture
binder and medium
for knowledge, ideas
this- the foundation
of history and civilization.
It is both a bridge
and a wall,
uniter, as well as seperator.
Causing confusion
and making strangers
between foreigner and native-
so it has been
since the days of the tower built at Babel
and from then onward
there has by frustration
when words are misunderstood,
and assimilation
comes only through learning.
But what of my own
linguistic journey?
it too, has been a labyrinth
leading to diversity
and assimilation.
For I was raised
listening to,
and speaking an olden tongue
that of my forefather's
language of my childhood home,
now nearly forgotten
flown with wind and time
like my father's ashes
across the Atlantic.
Yet-
the memory is not quite
so distant,
the words come to life
deep within
and I cannot deny
my blood,
my heritage,
Hungarian- language of my soul.
So I grew
the immigrant's child
receiving my education
here, in America
mastering English by age seven
- by then bilingual
English-
the transmitter
to all I convey
in page after page of poetry.
this, the language of my mind.
And now,
well past middle age
and destiny
has caused change
yet again,
my vocabulary expands
with words exotic to me,
romantic and rhythmic
Spanish-
my language of the heart
mi idioma de corazón.